White X Lies
by ampersandprincess
Summary: Sera had something to prove to both herself and to the world. At age 12, she leaves home and decides to take the Hunter Exam, where she discovers herself and a source of strength from her new friends. She unknowingly begun a journey that she would never forget. Follows the 2011 anime and beyond. KilluaXOC. T for language and eventual dark undertones.
1. Escape X Beginnings

Hello, everyone! This is AmpersandPrincess and I am posting my first fan fiction! This isn't the first one I've written, but this will be the first one I am posting. I have other chapters prepared already and I intend to upload one chapter every day. Depending on how much I write, it could slow down the updates. I spend a lot of time on these so I hope you enjoy it!

The story will focus on the 2011 version of the anime up until the chimera ant arc. After that, the story will diverge completely, becoming original storyline. In order to be as accurate as possible, I have used some of the same speech used in the anime. Edits were made to include my OC. This will mostly be from her point of view.

Let the hunting begin!

X X X

CHAPTER I: ESCAPE X AND X BEGINNINGS

The wind crept around the abandoned building as if it were an intruder. It whistled and whispered through a creak of a shattered window. There was no trace of life as it brought a gentle breeze into the old warehouse. It was clearly empty, without a trace of life. No one had been there in years.

Except it was very much occupied. One of which was a girl with light gray eyes. The kind of eyes that saw through everything. The kind of eyes that always could find the truth, no matter how deep. And tonight, her eyes saw an escape.

One moment, the wind came in with a whisper and the next, the girl had disappeared in silence. This was her only chance. Her escape. Her beginning.

 _I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

Sera, along with her tears, escaped into the night. But not without feeling guilt. For as much as that place was a trap, it was also her home. And leaving home for the first time would always bring on a sense of guilt and a sense of fear as she fled into the unknown world. Sera had no idea what was in store for her.

In time, she would eventually return home. In time, she would apologize for her sudden and unannounced departure. In time, she would indeed return. But who's to say that Sera would be the same person that left?

 _I'm sorry, big brother._

Sera let the night stars guide her. For as much pain she felt for leaving, she felt relief and joy. This was her beginning. Her hope. Her dream. Her destiny.

Unknowingly, her destiny would collide with many others. Particularly, fate linked her with that of two young boys that would change her world completely. Sera had truly no idea what was in store for her.

X X X

Sera had never traveled across the sea before. Too easily detectable. Too much of a trap, her older brother claimed. She was amazed. The blueness of the sea was a sight to behold and the air tasted fresh. Her eyes sparkled in delight; the child that she was clearly showed.

The other passengers on the ship also took notice and snickered. _What's a cute little girl like that on a ship toward the Hunter's Exam? She's too young. Too weak. She should just return home to the comfort of her parents._

Even though she clearly heard them all, Sera was not bothered. At this point, she was used to it. Instead, she let the breeze take control of her long pastel pink hair and sighed in content at the sound of the waves and the smell of the sea.

X X X

The ship made port at Whale Island to pick up more passengers aiming to take the Hunter's Exam. Most were older men to which she paid no mind. Except for one, who was not. He was much younger than the rest. He was a boy with spiky green and black hair carrying a fishing rod. Sera wondered if they were the same age judging by his appearance.

Also unlike the rest, the boy was loud. As the ship departed from the small island, the entire crew could hear him scream his goodbyes. "I'm going to become the best Hunter in the world. Once I'm the best Hunter in the world, I'll come back!"

Sera couldn't help but giggle. _What a large goal_ , she thought to herself with a smile. _But who knows, he just might be_. The rest of the sailors laughed out loud at the cheerful boy.

"The best Hunter in the world?" One repeated with a snicker.

"Kid doesn't respect us."

"Every year, there are millions of skilled applicants for the Hunter Exam. But only a handful are selected. Don't say stuff you can't back up, boy." They all laughed at his expense. Sera frowned. _What a bunch of prideful jerks_.

Sera found herself making her way towards the boy, almost instinctively to protect him. "Don't listen to them," she spoke out. "I like that you dream big. My name's Sera."

The boy instantly brightened up at her words. "Thanks! I'm Gon. How old are you by the way? You look like you could be my age! I recently turned twelve."

"What luck! I'm twelve also. It's nice to know someone my age during the test. Honestly, I've never had a friend my age before." Sera slightly blushed at her last comment. While she had no trouble expressing her feelings, but was it too bold a claim for her to have Gon as a friend?

"Me too! I'm glad that we met," Gon replied with a goofy smile. Sera returned the favor. _Yes_ , she determined. _I think Gon and I are going to become good friends._

X X X

Gon somehow predicted a major storm "by smell" and sure enough, his prediction came true. "That's amazing!" Sera exclaimed, clearly impressed. "How did you do that?"

"It's just something I picked up on the island I guess," Gon laughed it off. Most of his senses were strong due to his experience in the wilderness of his home, particularly his sense of smell.

By this point, the deck was flooded with water and the rough waters were causing tilted movement. Most of the passengers on the ship were completely sea sick. However, Sera and Gon acted unaffected by the conditions along with a few other oddballs. The captain of the ship took notice and summoned them to his quarters.

"First, tell me your names," he swiftly ordered.

"I'm Gon!"

The next one that spoke was a feminine blond-haired boy. "I'm Kurapika."

Followed by Kurapika was a young man in a business suit. "It's Leorio."

Finally, Sera announced her name.

Without a pause, the captain followed up with another question. "Why do you want to become Hunters?"

Leorio interrupted. "Hey! If you're not an examiner, you can't boss us around!"

Sera was inclined to agree, although she had her suspicions that the captain was more involved with the Hunter's Exam than just a transporter. She remained quiet. She didn't know how to answer the question. Truthfully and risk exposure or with a lie?

"Just answer the question!"

Gon answered first once more. "My dad is a Hunter. I left Whale Island because I want to know why my dad desired do much to be a Hunter." The look of determination in his face was sincere.

"That's really sweet Gon," Sera mentioned. "I'm sure you will discover the truth. And maybe find your father too!" Gon smiled widely at her.

"Hey kid!" Leorio interrupted again. "You're not supposed to answer his question!"

Gon innocently replied, "Why can't I tell him why I'm here?"

"Not a team player, huh? I don't wish to reveal why I'm here."

Kurapika spoke up. "I agree with Leorio. It's quite simple to avoid pesky questions by offering a plausible lie. However, it is quite shameful to rely upon deceit. That said, if I were to tell you the truth, I would be exposing my deepest secrets. That is why I cannot provide an answer." His voice was solemn but wise. Sera felt a connection to Kurapika at this moment and decided she liked him, for his voice was clear.

"You make a good point, Kurapika. Regardless, I don't agree. Captain, I'll tell you why I'm here. I want to become stronger. Not physically, although I guess that would help too. I want a stronger heart. And I want to show…" Sera paused, hesitant to continue. But she admired Gon's straightforwardness. That encouraged her. "I want to show that you don't have to be cruel or merciless to win. That a strong heart is the key. That you can defeat your enemies with kindness… instead of hatred." Everyone remained silent for a moment, each affected by her response in their own way.

"That's amazing, Sera! You were really honest just now. I could tell." Gon said, giving her a gentle smile this time. She instantly blushed, considering what she had just said to basically a bunch of strangers. _Gon, you're really something_.

"In other words, you," referring to Kurapika and Leorio "refuse to answer my question." He beckoned to one of the sailors. "Tell the examination board that we have two more dropouts." This shocked the whole group.

"You still haven't figured it out? The Hunter Examination has already begun. There are as many Hunter wannabes as there are stars in the sky. The examiners don't have time or resources to review them all. So they hire people like us to trim the fat. I've already notified the board that everyone else on this ship had to withdraw. If they couldn't handle a little storm, they'd stand no chance in the Hunter Examination's later stages. In other words, you only proceed to the main exam if I pass you. So think carefully before you answer my question."

"So he says..." Gon finished. Sera broke out in laughter, startling everyone including the captain.

"Man, that's just typical. Honestly, I thought the Hunter's Exam would be more creative than that." Sera broke out into a wicked grin. "The only way to begin the Hunter's Exam is simple. Face the truth and accept it. You could lie, but then you would only really be lying to yourself, which would eventually get you disqualified or dead. So you gotta face the truth head on and be willing to go the distance. No offense, Captain, but don't you think that's a little hypocritical?"

"W-what?" The Captain stuttered.

"I'll admit, I'm one too, to be fair. In this line of job, you will face situations unlike anything else. Ones where your decision can determine life and death, to either yourself… or to others. I want to show kindness can be its own weapon. But in the end, I will still have to hurt, injure, and undoubtedly kill in this profession. That makes me a hypocrite. But I've accepted that fact long ago. So I ask you, Captain, do you think any of us would be here if we weren't ready to accept the truth and possibly die for our respective causes?"

Silence. She turned to Kurapika. "I admire your resolve. I truly do. I can tell you're honest with others and yourself. But you lack the ability to trust. If you answer his question, you are putting trust into someone other than yourself. A risky business indeed. But if you can't take a simple risk as this, can you truly say you are ready to become a Hunter, where risk is in the job description?"

Silence once more. "You're right, Sera. You are wise for someone as young as yourself." Kurapika said thoughtfully. The Captain internally agreed. _So not only Ging's son is here, but this strange young girl as well. This should be an interesting Exam indeed._

Sera blushed again, not used to compliments in the slightest. "Sorry if I seem harsh, but sometimes kindness shows itself in unusual ways." Kurapika agreed with that fact wholeheartedly.

Kurapika spoke at last. "I am the last survivor of the Kurta Clan." Sera almost physically stumbled at his announcement. _Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Why did it have to be that. Anything but that. Remain calm, Sera._ She scolded herself. She could handle this. _He won't find out. But if he did…_ There was no doubt seeing his eyes and the hatred he felt.

"Four years ago, my clan was annihilated by a band of criminals. I wish to become a Hunter and hunt down that band, the Phantom Troupe."

"So you want to become a bounty hunter? The Phantom Troupe is a Class-A bounty. Not even the most grizzled Hunters can touch them. You'd be throwing away your life."

"I do not fear death. I fear only that my rage will fade over time." His eyes flashed red. The color of passion. Of rage. Of blood that would undoubtedly be spilled.

"So, in other words, you want revenge." Leorio stated matter-of-factually. With each sentence that came out of his mouth, Sera liked him less and less. "Does that require that you become a Hunter?"

Yes, Sera determined Leorio was undoubtedly an idiot.

"That may be the stupidest question I've ever heard, Leorio. Places accessible only to Hunters… Information otherwise unobtainable… Actions otherwise impossible… There are more reasons than your brain could possibly handle."

Even that was a bit harsh… Sera thought.

In order to possibly diffuse the situation, Gon changed topics. "Why do you want to become a Hunter, Leorio?"

"Me? I'll make it short. I want money." Sera sighed, disappointed in the dense man. "Money can get you everything! A big house! A nice car! Good liquor!"

"You can't buy class with money, Leorio." Sera nodded in agreement to Kurapika's statement.

And that's how Leorio and Kurapika got into an argument which resulted with them heading out to the deck in order to "fight it out". Sera put her odds on Kurapika. Meanwhile, the waves were getting rougher and a huge wave was about to hit the ship. The Captain directed his attention to steering and began shouting orders to the crew.

"I'll help!" Gon offered enthusiastically.

"Me too!" Sera agreed. They rushed off to manage the sails of the ship against the stormy weather.

Despite their small sizes, both Gon and Sera managed to pull back their sails. One of the sailors slipped and was pulled into the water. Both Kurapika and Leorio attempted to grab him, but couldn't reach out far enough. Gon, without hesitation leaped off the ship to grab the sailor, only for Kurapika and Leorio to successfully grab Gon by his ankles. Sera wanted to laugh at the whole scene. All of them recklessly assisting the sailor who would have drowned otherwise. They were certainly an entertaining bunch (even Leorio).

It was far from funny according to Leorio and Kurapika. Both chewed out the reckless boy.

"But you did catch me," Gon said innocently, catching the older boys off guard. The sailor thanked the boys profusely for saving him. Kurapika and Leorio in particular acted shy in receiving the gratitude. Both of them noticed each other again since their argument and apologized to each other. Somehow, the four of them ended up as friends even if she disagreed with Leorio's reasons for becoming a Hunter. Nevertheless, the storm had created a bond among the unusual bunch of kids.

The Captain chuckled at the youngsters. "I like you guys! Okay! I'll take responsibility for bringing you four to the port closest to the exam site."

And thus, Sera, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio passed the test before they could take the actual exam. This was Sera's first step in a long journey ahead of her. To prove that kindness was key. And that with her friends supporting her, she could do anything she put her mind to.

X X X

And so Sera begins a long journey to become a Hunter. I hope you enjoyed and all reviews, follows, and favorites will be much appreciated, but never necessary. Prepare for a long story ahead as this will follow closely with the original story and beyond.

Each chapter will focus on one to three episodes of the anime depending on what occurs in each episode. I am currently re-watching the entire series as I write this in order to pay attention to details. As for length per chapter, I do not expect it to be longer than 3,500 words although it will depend on what happens. I try to avoid short chapters so there is more content for you to read.

Thank you for reading and see you soon!


	2. Test X Before X Tests

I really debated about posting this chapter yesterday because I was so excited. But I waited patiently for today. I hope you enjoy! You get to see a little more about Sera's strengths and weaknesses in this chapter.

X X X

CHAPTER II: TESTS X BEFORE X TEST

The suddenly bonded group of friends had arrived at Dolle Harbor, the closest port to the examination site. Gon was ecstatic, Kurapika prepared, Leorio determined, and Sera was hopeful. After a seemingly long and rocky boat trip, Sera was one (albeit small) step closer to her dream. To being a Hunter.

The group waited for Gon while he and the Captain spoke privately. Sera was glancing at the shops. She was never really allowed to go shopping by herself before so she wanted to take every opportunity she could. After all, even if she wanted to be a strong Hunter, she was still a girl.

They reconvened once Gon finished talking to the Captain and looked at a map. According to Gon, they needed to head toward a large cedar tree, but the exam location was in Zaban City, the complete opposite direction.

"Perhaps you misheard him?" Kurapika asked.

Gon shook his head. "No, he told me to head toward that cedar tree."

"I see..."

Sera sighed. _Boys will be idiots_ , she groaned to herself. The answer was obvious. "Look, we should follow what the Captain told Gon," she advised the boys.

They all looked at her confused. She rolled her eyes. "It's obviously another test. The Captain gave us a hint. If they wanted us to go straight to Zaban City, there would be way too many contestants for the examiners. This is another opportunity for them to weed out the weaklings. It's gotta be a trap," Sera reasoned.

"But the bus to Zaban City is about to leave," Leorio complained. "We should just take it." Gon was already headed in the direction of the aforementioned tree.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? It's gonna be a trap." Kurapika thought to himself for a moment and then nodded.

"I agree with Sera." He also started walking in Gon's direction and Sera walked alongside him. His words affected Sera and for some reason, she saw Kurapika as an older brother figure. Even though she already had an older brother. Which also made her feel incredibly guilty.

"Besides. Gon's behavior interests me more than the Captain's advice."

"Oh is that so? See ya." Leorio said in a huff as he took his things and headed toward the bus. For a moment, she thought she might miss him.

That is, until, for some unknown reason, Leorio started shouting and came running to meet up with them. "Well I know you guys would be lonely without me," he explained.

They ended up in a seemingly abandoned town. "This is a creepy place… I don't see a single person." Leorio grumbled.

"No, there are plenty here," Gon said, taking advantage of his heightened senses.

All of a sudden, the doors opened and out came an old lady followed by creeps dressed in white. "What kind of test is this?" Sera asked to no one in particular, more confused than afraid.

"Exciting..." the old lady said several times. This was just getting weirder and weirder for Sera, not used to this at all. "Exciting two-choice quiz!" She finally screamed. Sera wanted to collapse and this strange situation. _The examiners must be laughing their buts off_ , she thought grumpily.

"You kids are headed for that tree on the hill, correct?" They numbly nodded, still adjusting to the current situation. "To reach that tree, you must pass through this town. I shall administer a single-question quiz. You'll have five seconds to state your answer. Give the wrong answer, and you're disqualified. You'll have to give up on taking this year's Hunter Exam."

 _Another test… Before we can even actually take the test. This is getting ridiculous._

"I see how it is. I happen to be a quiz expert." _Oh god, no…_

"Your answer will be either the number one or two." The crazy old lady continued, ignoring Leorio completely. "Any other answer will be considered incorrect."

But then Leorio asked something actually smart. "Hold on! All four of us share one question? So if one of them answers incorrectly, I'm disqualified, too?"

 _That's far from my concern, Leorio_. Sera wanted to roll her eyes. But why only one question for them to share? That hardly seemed fair.

"As if that would happen! What scares me is the high likelihood of the vice versa happening," Kurapika voiced her exact thought.

"Kura, I don't want to be disqualified because of Leorio," Sera whined like a child to a parent.

"What was that?" Leorio angrily interrupted.

"It should be fine… hopefully?" He said, unsure of his own answer, but completely ignored Leorio. "Wait… Kura?"

"Yeah, short for Kurapika. Too long for me to say. Kura suits you better!" She said happily. Kurapika, now to be known as Kura, blushed and Sera grinned.

"But you know… This way's easier, since only one of us needs to know the answer. I'm not good at quizzes."

"Gon! Always looking on the bright side of things!" Sera laughed. Gon always knew how to inspire her.

"Hey there. Hurry it up." A new voice suddenly broke their conversation. He was dressed in a karate uniform, wearing a black belt. By his tone, he seemed very confident in himself. Sera's eyes narrowed. "Or else I'll answer the question first."

"Who are you?" Leorio asked bluntly.

"He followed us here, all the way from port." Gon answered casually.

"What will you do?" The old lady asked.

"He seems eager to take it." Leorio mentioned. "We should let him go first. That way, we'll know what kind of question to expect." The rest agreed.

"Here is your question. Evil villains have captured your mother and lover. You can only save one. Select one for your mother, or two for your lover. Which will you save?" Everyone was shocked. _Just what kind of question was that? There's no right answer… Wait a moment!_ Sera grinned. She knew exactly what the answer was. And the old lady seemed to notice that she knew as well.

The karate boy smirked as if he knew the answer as well. "The answer is one."

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"Because you can't replace your mother. But you can find another lover." He answered it so casually, so flippantly that Sera almost tripped over herself. _Another idiot_.

"You may pass."

"You just have to tell the old lady what she wants to hear," he said to them with another one of his smirks. Sera resisted the urge to punch that look of his face. She took a deep breath. Remember your promise, Sera. Only kill with kindness.

Leorio blew up and threatened to take another route. "It's too late. Refuse to take the quiz, and you're disqualified." He continued to blow a fuse, having a complete temper tantrum.

"-There is no right answer!"

"That's-" Sera was about to explain the answer to him but the old lady interrupted.

"Wait! Not another word from you! You too!" She ordered, referring to both Sera and Kurapika. Sera stopped herself. She would not risk getting disqualified herself. She turned to Kurapika and smiled softly. He returned it. _So he had figured it out too_. "Say anything but the answer, and you're immediately disqualified." _Please Leorio, keep your mouth shut. For my sake. And for yours_. Sera prayed to all the gods that this idiot would not screw up her chances.

"Here is your question. Your son and daughter have been kidnapped. You can only rescue one. Select one for your son, or two for your daughter. Which will you rescue?"

 _If I really had to make a choice, what would my choice be?_ For her, she would pray that the gods forgave her. Because regardless of the choice she made, she hoped that eventually she had the courage to receive forgiveness.

"Five."

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

"Buzz. Time's up." At that moment, Leorio had taken a plank of wood and was about to strike the old woman, shocking everyone but Kurapika who was fast enough to block the hit.

"Kura!" Sera screamed in worry. Leorio had struck full force, with clearly all his strength. She hoped Kurapika had the strength enough to block the blow without injury.

"Don't stop me, Kurapika! I won't be satisfied until I've taught this hag a lesson."

"Calm down, Leorio!"

"How am I supposed to calm down?"

"You'll waste our correct response!" That calmed him down instantly, confusion written all over his face.

"Kura! Are you okay?" Sera asked, concern on her face. He sighed, but smiled.

"I'm fine. Thank you Sera." He patted the top of her head, like a child. She blushed.

"What do you mean, correct response?"

"Silence was the correct response."

"Silence? What do you mean..."

"You hit the nail on the head." _Literally_ , Sera added in her mind. "This quiz had no right answer. However, we could only state one or two as the answer. In other words, we weren't meant to respond at all. Silence was the only response."

"But what about that other guy?"

"She only said he could pass. That wasn't necessarily the right way." Sera added.

"Precisely. The correct path is over here. This leads directly to the tree. Walk two hours, and you'll reach the top. A couple lives in the cabin beneath that tree. They serve as Navigators. If you meet their standards, I believe they will guide you to the exam site."

Finally, Gon let out a large sigh, falling to the ground in defeat. "It's no use. I can't think of an answer."

They laughed. "You were still trying to find an answer? You can stop."

"Huh? Why?"

"The quiz is over."

"I know. But you know… What if I run into a situation like that and I can only save one person? What should I do then? It wouldn't be right to choose just one… But one day, I might have to make that choice." Silence.

And then Sera slowly walked over and offered Gon a hand up. "If it comes down to that Gon, you make a choice. Live with it. And ask the gods for forgiveness." He just stared at her. "As Hunters, there really might be a situation like that. You are given a choice and the one you make might not be the right one. But you stick with it and hope that one day, you find the courage to forgive yourself. That's what I decided I would do."

"Yeah… Thanks Sera! You are so smart. I'm really glad I met you."

"Me too, Gon."

X X X

Two hours of walking later and it was completely dark out. Leorio was raving like mad as usual, but even for Sera, she was tired and hope that this would end soon. They soon found themselves at seemingly abandoned cabin.

Except it wasn't abandoned. Inside were two humans and two exotic beasts that Kurapika called a Kiriko, which allows them to take human form. Sera prepared a fighting stance. While she wasn't as physically strong as the others, she was quick on her feet and able to disarm if need be.

The creatures snickered and jumped off, each in different directions. Leorio focused on addressing one of the injured humans. The three of them jumped off to follow the creatures. Gon followed the shadow and quickly hopped across the trees, hot on one of them.

"Gon, Kura, go after that one. I'll take on the other."

"Are you sure?" Kurapika asked, hesitant to let the little girl on her own.

She smiled. "Don't worry about me. I've got this. Gon! The last one to bring back their Kiriko owes the other one dinner! Fair?"

Gon laughed and agreed. They separated into opposite directions. While Gon had his senses, Sera took advantage of her own abilities. _Be prepared to pay for a large juicy steak, Gon. I'm not going to lose_.

With lightening speed, Sera hopped across the trees with ease. Each time the Kiriko looked back, Sera was slightly closer. The magical beast was clearly under duress by her skills. When the creature looked back one last time, she was gone. He had lost her at last.

"Looking for me?" She teased. She jumped on to his branch providing quick jabs in very specific locations of the body. She wasn't completely sure if her plan would work, but she hoped it would since they could take human form.

The creature was stunned. The hits were light and only hurt slightly, but he could deal with it. This girl must be really weak. He was about to retaliate until he tried moving his arm. It refused to move. So did his legs. He collapsed as his body failed him. What was going on?

"Surprised? Frankly so am I. Didn't know if it was going to work, to be honest. You can't move your body, am I right? That's because I blocked your chi. No chi means no movement." She smirked.

The Kiriko decided then and there that this girl was very unique.

"Now, let's get me some steak." _Huh?_ She dragged him by the collar off back to the cabin.

X X X

Sera was indeed the first to return with the magical creature. Eventually everyone returned to the cabin and explained what had happened. "Oh, before I forget..." Sera trailed off as she quickly pinched the captured Kiriko's body. "There. You should be fine now."

"Uh thanks..." he said, embarrassed that he was caught by a little girl.

The rest looked completely confused. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. We are the Navigators. Our family provides support for the Hunter Exam."

"Man, you had us fooled." Leorio commented.

"The Hunter Exam changes site every year. It's quite difficult to locate it. So we Navigators help by guiding the applicants to the site."

"Makes sense. The examiners can't make it too easy for veterans," Sera reasoned.

"But we don't help every candidate. We test applicants to see if they're qualified to take the exam. Kurapika."

"Yes."

"You successfully used the vaguest of hints to determine we weren't spouses. The hint was these tattoos which, in this region, mark a woman as single for life. You demonstrated that you are very knowledgeable. Therefore, you pass."

"Congrats Kura! I knew you could do it!"

"Way to go, Kurapika," Gon added happily.

"Thanks, Sera. Gon."

"Leorio. You never realized my true identity. However, you dressed my injuries faster and more thoroughly than any doctor. Most importantly, you continued to reassure me that my wife was safe. Your kindness makes you worthy to take the Hunter Exam. Thus, you pass."

"Gon. Your superhuman physical ability and powers of observation make you worthy to take the Hunter Exam. You pass."

"Yay! Gon! You did it!" Sera praised Gon and hugged him tightly. "You're one step closer!"

"Sera." She stiffened. "Your speed and agility is unlike that I have ever seen, even for adults. You also incapacitated me without injuring me despite your small stature. Congratulations, you pass."

Sera sighed in relief. She had done it. Both Kurapika and Gon gave her a hug and congratulated her. Of course, she blushed. Her cheeks reddened too often for her own liking.

"We will now take you to the exam site." What they didn't mention was how: via flying. Sera grasped the Kiriko's legs more tightly than she had ever grabbed anything in her life. This was far from her preferred way of travel. It wasn't that she was afraid of heights. No. She was terrified of falling.

"Isn't it great that we all passed?" Gon asked as they were flying through the air.

"Y-yeah… j-just g-great..." Sera stuttered out. Her eyes were closed shut and Kurapika gave her a look of pity.

Sera and her friends had finally finished the trials that allowed her to face the true test: the Hunter's Exam. What awaited them was nothing they could ever imagine or dream of. But it was something none of them could ever forget either.

X X X

And that's the last part before the Exam begins! I am really excited for the next chapter because my favorite character makes his first appearance. How will Sera react to meeting him? We will just have to wait until next time!

As always, reviews, follows, and favorites are all appreciated!


	3. True X Test

I'm so excited to post this chapter because Killua finally makes an appearance! How will Sera interact with this (adorable) white-haired boy? Let's find out!

X X X

CHAPTER III: TRUE X TEST

Sera, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio finally arrived in Zaban City with the assistance of the Navigators. They gave the group explicit instructions as to how to proceed to the examination site. As they progressed through the town, Sera stopped at almost every store, taking in the sights. Unfortunately, she carried very little money on her after she escaped her home, so she only had enough for necessities. That reminded her…

"Oh yeah, Gon. You still owe me dinner."

"That's right! I'll treat ya to dinner sometime. After the test maybe?"

"Yeah, once we are both Hunters!" Sera agreed. She had a feeling that if she passed the exam, so would Gon and vice versa.

They arrived at a shady-looking restaurant. "No one would ever expect the Hunter Exam, with its millions of candidates, to be located here, right?"

"Welcome," exclaimed the chef, preparing a very delicious smelling dish. Sera's mouth was already watering. No, she had to focus. This was where the true test began. And according to her sources, it would not be easy.

"What will you have?"

"The steak combo that opens your eyes to the light. For four." Yum, Sera could really go for a steak combo right now…

"How would you like them?"

"Grilled over a low flame, until cooked." _Yes, please. Steak. Steak. Steak. Steak. Steak_. Sera was drooling.

"Got it. Let yourself into the back room."

Sera was very disappointed to learn that there would be no steak.

They were dropped off and were told to wait in a small room. "Only one in ten thousand. The number of applicants who make it this far. You've done extremely well for first-timers. Well, good luck."

The room shifted as it lowered itself as an elevator. Leorio and Kurapika conversed as Sera lost herself in her head. She clenched her fists and took deep breaths. _You can do this. You will pass. You've done far more than just pass a test. You will become a Hunter. You will show your brother, no the world, what it means to have kindness as your weapon._

At some point Kurapika and Leorio began arguing about money or something? She didn't really know. Now was not the time for a comedy act.

The bell rang at B100. They had arrived in a large dark space filled with wannabe Hunters. The atmosphere was tense. These people were the best of the best, skilled in fighting, each with their own deadly talents. They had earned their right to be here.

But so did she, she argued.

"Hello. Please take a number." A small green creature offered each of them a number tag. Number 406. 406 applicants had made it to the test. Out of hundreds of thousands that wanted to become a Hunter. She wondered if even a handful would actually receive their licenses. "Be sure you wear this on your chest at all times. Be careful not to lose it."

"I'm gonna take a look around," she whispered to Gon. He nodded absentmindedly and she shifted into the crowd, receiving stares from everyone she passed. They all were obviously judging her. She was twelve. A young girl. Pastel pink hair. A white and blue sailor dress. All the signs of innocence waiting to be crushed.

 _Until you find that you are the one who will be crushed_. She wandered aimlessly, taking note of people of interest. A bow user. Another girl wearing a large hat. A ninja. A weird guy with needles in his body. A clown. Wait…. It couldn't be. She did a double take and quickly shuffled away. Hisoka. Shit. She hoped he didn't notice her. But odds are, he already knew. Best to lay low for a while. Meanwhile, she heard rumors of a "rookie crusher" named Tonpa. She better warn the others about him.

She started looking for her friends when she was approached by said man. She tried to brush him off kindly, but he was persistent. "Why don't we toast to our new friendship, yeah?" He offered her a drink. Her gut was telling her that he laced it, but she didn't want to let him know she knew. She was trying to think of a way to politely decline when a white-haired boy about her age approached them.

"Tonpa! Could I have more of that juice? Must be my nerves. I'm really thirsty."

"Eh? Oh, sure..." The drink he intended to give to Sera was then taken by her unintentional savior. He was about to take a swig, when she came up with a scheme.

"Big brother! Found you!" She rushed over into his arms and gave him a large hug.

"Huh?" Both Tonpa and the boy seemed confused.

She subtly winked and mouthed the words, "Play along." He gave the slight tip of his head, showing that he would.

"Jeez, big brother, I've been looking everywhere for you. Where did you go?"

"That's what you get for wandering off on your own." He teased in a brotherly-fashion. "Mom told me to watch after you, but how can I do that when you can't stay where I can keep an eye on you?"

Tonpa looked completely baffled. Time to seal the deal. "I know. I'm sorry. I won't do it again." She turned to the older man and bowed politely. "Thank you ever so much for helping me find my brother. I truly appreciate it. Let's go, big brother."

She tried to pull him away, but she couldn't prevent him from chugging down Tonpa's drink first. "Big brother, Mother said to not take things from strangers." She desperately tried to warn the boy that the drink was probably laced with some sort of poison.

"I'll be fine, _little sister_." He emphasized as if he knew. "I've trained, remember? Poisons won't affect me." He smirked at Tonpa. Her eyes widened slightly but then smiled warmly. This boy was _interesting_.

"Oh right. How could I forget? Silly me. Well, we best be off. Thank you Tonpa for the, er, gift, and we will see you later, I guess? Come on, big brother, I want to tell you all about what happened while we were apart." She dragged him away out of hearing distance of Tonpa before she burst out into giggles.

"Man, that was amazing! Thank you so much for getting me out of that situation! And did you see Tonpa's reaction? Priceless. Oh wait, I never got your name. I'm Sera."

"Killua," he replied simply with a smirk. "Nice act you pulled there. You're tough, for a little girl, I mean." He shrugged nonchalantly.

She pouted. "I'll have you know, Killua, that I am 12 years old, thank you very much." She stared straight into his eyes, unwavering. Killua blinked. Most were too nervous or scared of him to approach him, let alone stare right at him. It was almost comforting. Almost.

"Huh. I'm twelve too. Never would've guessed that someone so short could be my age."

Sera rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know I'm short, but I wouldn't underestimate me, if I were you."

"You? Never."

"Anyway, thank you again for getting me out of that sticky situation. He would not leave me alone. Super annoying. I owe ya."

"Now we're getting somewhere. I could really go for some chocolate."

Sera laughed. Killua was a riot. I bet he would get along with Gon as well. "I guess I owe you some chocolate then. It's a date." She didn't even realize what she had said.

 _It's a date. It's a date. It's a date_.

She blushed. "I mean, it's not a date-date. Because you know, we just met and all and I don't like you like that and oh my gosh what am I saying." Killua burst into laughter at her words.

"Relax, I know." She eyed his skateboard.

"You brought a skateboard?"

"Yeah, in case I got bored or something. I brought a lot of stuff in case I got bored actually."

 _Was he that confident in his skill_ s, she inwardly thought.

A sudden bell rang that echoed throughout the room. A large door opened and a man was waiting behind it. "I apologize for the wait. The entry period for Hunter applicants has ended. The Hunter Exam will now begin. A final caution. If you are short on luck or ability..."

"Or just short," Killua whispered to her with a cocky smirk. She huffed and looked away, pretending to be angry.

"...you could very well end up seriously injured or even dead. Those who accept the risks, please follow me. Otherwise, please exit via the elevator behind you." No one moved an inch. "Very well. All 405 applicants will participate in Phase One." 405? But she was 406. What had happened that caused one of the applicants to suddenly disappear? In a robotic manner, the examiner turned around and began walking. His pace increased. "I neglected to introduce myself. I am Satotz, the Phase One examiner. I shall lead you to the exam's Second Phase."

Killua immediately got onto his skateboard and before he could contest, Sera had jumped on with him, riding along, holding on to his shoulders. "Thanks for the ride, _big brother_."

He clearly looked irritated, but didn't push her off. Despite his demeanor, Sera was an interesting girl in the very least. And stronger than she appeared, he could tell. Plus, she was his age and he hadn't met anyone else close to his age yet. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever, _little sister_."

X X X

Over the next couple of hours, Sera and Killua talked a lot and discovered each other's interests and how they managed to get to the exam.

"And then, the creatures _flew_ us to the site. We were up so high and he had to hold on by their legs! If we weren't careful we could have easily fallen off and died!"

Killua chuckled at her story. "Afraid of heights, princess?" At some point in their conversation, he had changed her nickname from "little sister" to "princess". He thought it would irritate her more, but she found that she liked the nickname. Or rather, that Killua had given her the nickname.

"No!" She quickly denied. "I'm not afraid of heights. I'm afraid of falling. Which there is clearly a difference."

"Totally." His voice was laced with sarcasm and Sera rolled her eyes. She found it so easy to be herself around this boy that she had met not only two hours ago. Similar to the way she found herself wanting to be friends with Gon when they had first met.

"Whatever. You should meet them, by the way. My friends, I mean. Well, at least Gon and Kurapika. Leorio is dense, but he means well. But Gon and Kurapika are really nice. You'll definitely get along with Gon. He's also our age."

Killua shrugged. He didn't know why, but was slightly bothered by how she talked about her friends. As if he wasn't one of them. He shook his head vigorously. Don't forget what his brother had told him. _Killers don't need friends_. "Whatever."

In the distance, Sera noticed a flash of familiar green and black hair. "There they are," she pointed them out. "Go, my noble steed! Go!" Killua purposely swerved hard on his skateboard and Sera almost lost her balance by the sudden shift, but managed to hang on. "Hey, what was that for?"

"Nothing," he said, fake smiling sweetly.

"Just go." She grumbled. And he sped up, catching up to her friends. Leorio was already a ball of sweat, exhausted from the endless running. Sera laughed and waved to him as she rode up with Killua on his skateboard.

"Hey! Wait up, kid!" He shouted at Killua. "Wait, Sera? What are you doing?"

"Hitching a ride of course," she said with an innocent smile.

"You should show the Hunter Exam some respect!" _Oh boy, here he goes_.

"What do you mean?" Killua asked, confused.

"Why are you using a skateboard? That's cheating!"

"No, it isn't!" Sera protested.

At the same time, Killua asked, "Why?"

"This is an endurance test!"

"No, it isn't," Gon denied.

"Gon, what are you saying?"

"The examiner only told us to follow him." Sera laughed. _Typical Gon_. She looked at Killua, wondering what he was thinking.

"Hi Gon. Leorio. Kura. This is my new friend, Killua."

 _Friend_? Killua almost blushed at her candid statement. He focused his attention on Gon, the one who was also his age. He stared at his eyes for a moment before making a decision.

He jumped and flipped his skateboard in the air. Unprepared, Sera went flying as well. He caught the skateboard with ease in one hand and in the other, he caught Sera over his shoulder. Sera went wide-eyed and then blushed a deep red.

"Killua!" She moaned. "You should've warned me." She began struggling and banging against his back. "Put me down this instant." Instead, he tightened his grip on her.

Completely ignoring her comments, he told Gon, "Guess I'll run too."

Gon was in complete awe. "Wow! That was cool!"

"I guess so." The two of them ran in sync while Sera gave up struggling and sighed. At least she didn't have to run, right?

"Killua?"

"Hmm?"

"How did you meet Sera?"

Killua made a cat-like face. "Well, it's a funny story..."

"Killua!" Sera yelled.

X X X

Applicants continued to withdraw as the long trek continued. It had been four hours at this point and there was still no end in sight. Killua was still holding on to Sera while she had sneaked into his backpack and was playing one of his video games.

Gon suddenly stopped, causing Killua to stop as well. "Wait, what's going on?" Sera asked, looking up from the game. Behind them was an exhausted Leorio who looked as if he was about to faint.

"Hey, forget him. Let's get going." Killua told Gon. Gon remained silent, waiting for Leorio.

"HEY LEORIO! GET YOUR BUTT UP AND LET'S GO! FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T BE SUCH A BABY!" Sera suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs, still hanging over Killua's shoulder.

"I don't..."

"DON'T WHAT?"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT COMING FROM YOU!" Leorio yelled back and with a sudden burst of untapped energy, he raced past the three kids and caught up with the group, shedding his clothes as he was doing it. He had left his briefcase behind and Gon used his fishing rod to pick it up for him.

"Cool!" Killua said, clearly impressed by Gon's trick. "Let me try that later."

"If you let me try your skateboard later, okay?"

"Me too, me too!" Sera said.

The long path now shifted upward into stairs and Satotz picked up his pace even more. Everyone except for Gon and Killua (and by extension Sera) looked to struggle to match the faster pace.

"Gon, wanna race to see who finishes first?"

"A race? I'm so in." By the slightest pinch of a nerve, Killua's arm immediately let go of Sera and she flipped backwards, now jogging backwards as she faced her two friends.

"Wait, what just—Never mind." Killua was startled by the sudden forced movement of his arm. Was Sera the one that did that? And if so, how? It was a little unnerving for him. "No, you can't. It wouldn't be fair to you."

"You mean it wouldn't be fair to _you_. I guess losing to a little girl is a quite embarrassing." She teased him.

"Ha, I would never lose to you."

"Then let's find out."

"The loser has to buy dinner." Gon suggested.

"Okay, you're on!" Killua agreed.

"Yay! More steak for me!" Especially when she wasn't able to have that steak combo from earlier.

"Ready… Go!" The three of them raced off, passing most of the other applicants as they struggled up the long road of stairs.

As they raced at equal speeds, Sera caught wind of a conversation between Kurapika and Leorio. How the reason why the Kurta clan was target was because of their rare scarlet eyes that dominated the black market. It was a massacre as many innocents were slaughtered just to obtain a beautiful jewel.

 _I'm sorry, Kura. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

She made a vow. Once this was over, she would tell him the truth and apologize for the pain she had caused.

Leorio also confessed the reason behind his desire to be a Hunter. It wasn't for the money like he initially claimed. He wanted to be a doctor. So that he could save children like he couldn't do for his friend. Perhaps Leorio isn't as much of an idiot as she initially thought.

She fell behind Gon and Killua due to her thoughts. "Told you. A princess is no match for me." Killua taunted, shaking her out of her thoughts. Now was not the time. She quickened her pace to match back up with them.

"You were saying?" She grinned.

"See you at the goal, Kurapika," Gon waved as they passed them.

"Catch you later, old timer," Killua called to Leorio.

"I'm not old!" Leorio protested. "I'm a teenager, just like you guys!"

Everyone froze at that shared piece of information. No one could believe it.

X X X

More and more contestants were dropping like flies but Gon, Killua, and Sera kept their pace up. If Sera was going to win, she would do it fairly.

"I'm impressed that you can keep up with me," Killua finally admitted.

"Thank you!" Sera answered, pleased, even though the statement was clearly directed at Gon.

"Or maybe it's just that everyone else is too slow. Man. The Hunter Exam is going to be a breeze. That's no fun." Sera was inclined to agree. If it was all just doing simple tasks like running, she had no reason to fear the test. But why did Killua sound so disappointed? Did he not want to be a Hunter? If not, then why is he taking the test in the first place?

"Hey, why do you want to become a Hunter?" Gon asked Killua.

"Me? I'm not really interested in becoming a Hunter. I heard the exam was supposed to be really hard, so I'd thought it would be fun. But this is disappointing." So Sera was right. He did not care whether or not he became a Hunter. Why did that fact make her heart hurt a little?

"Then what do you want to be, Killua?" She found herself asking, slightly afraid of the answer.

"Hmm, I wonder." Before she could press further, a light could be seen. They were reaching the end. Noticing this, the three of them pushed themselves harder, prepared to win. They were evenly matched and it was a close call.

According to Killua, he won.

According to Sera, she won.

According to Gon, he won.

They all turned to the examiner expectantly. "Well?" Sera asked. "Who won? It was me, right?"

"I believe you all finished simultaneously."

According to Satotz, they were still far from finished for the first part of the exam. And while there was still a while yet to go, Sera felt accomplished. She had Gon and Killua by her side and for some reason, that empowered her.

The fog had cleared, revealing a lush and vibrant marsh that Satotz explained as "home to many bizarre animals, many of them being cunning, insatiable creatures who deceive humans and prey upon them." Yet, despite the warning, Sera was far from afraid. If she could handle a Kiriko, she could handle whatever lived in this marsh, right?

As if on cue, another voice screamed, "Don't let them fool you! Don't fall for it. He's lying to you! He's an imposter! He isn't an examiner… I'm the real examiner."

Sera rolled her eyes. Really? Did they really think she would be so easily deceived by such a common trick? No one's believing this right? She looked around and sure enough, their look on their faces was that of confusion and fear. _I'm surrounded by idiots_.

He pulled out an ape-like body with the face of Satotz. "It's a Man-Faced Ape, one of the creatures that dwell in the Numere Wetlands!" Before further confusion ensued, a series of playing cards were thrown at both Satotz and the man claiming to be the true examiner. The "true examiner" was stabbed and quickly fell to the ground, dead. On the other hand, Satotz caught the card with ease.

"I see… I see… That settles it… You're the real one." Sera recognized the voice immediately and shuddered. It was the voice of someone she truly and utterly feared. Out of instinct, she clasped on to Killua and Gon's hands, shaking. Killua saw her worried face and stared at the cause of it. _Just who is this guy and why does he strike fear into her?_

"Examiners are Hunters selected by the committee to perform this duty without pay. Any Hunter, bearing the title we seek, would have been able to block that attack."

"I shall take that as a compliment." Satotz replied, unfazed in the slightest. "However, should you attack me again, for any reason, I will report you for turning on an examiner. And you will be immediately disqualified. Then let us be on our way. Please follow me." He took off again, this time toward the fog where potentially dangerous creatures lurked inside of it. Everyone proceeded to follow him.

"Well if it isn't the lovely flower. My, you have truly bloomed."

All of her confidence disappeared in an instant as she turned to see someone she wanted to avoid at all costs: Hisoka the magician.

X X X

Sera and her friends have finally started the Hunter Exam. She also met Killua. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you next time!


	4. Magic X And X Madness

Sorry for the lateness! I was completely exhausted yesterday, but I am making up for it by posting two chapters today as a result! Enjoy!

X X X

CHAPTER IV: MAGIC X AND X MADNESS

"Hisoka," she said, trying to act indifferent to his presence. Her voice was failing her and it sounded pained.

They were all running in tandem, trying to keep up with the examiner. Gon and Killua were slightly ahead of Sera and Hisoka, but were close enough to overhear their conversation. Hisoka was smiling creepily as the magician looked at the young girl.

 _How did Sera and this clown know each other?_ Killua thought. He was wary of the magician. He could tell immediately that he was incredibly strong, perhaps stronger than himself. Sera seemed to know that too. _Was that why she was so terrified of him? No, there's more to it._

"You have truly developed into a fine young lady," Hisoka licked his lips and purred in pleasure. Killua wanted to kill him right then and there, but held back. This enemy was not like his usual weak foes as seen when he easily killed the fake.

"Did you come here to take me home?" She asked nervously.

"My darling Sera, I had no idea you were even going to be here. What a happy coincidence. Maybe I should let your beloved brother know."

 _She is not yours_ , Killua almost hissed.

"You can't tell him, Hisoka. Please. I need to do this." She pleaded with him, desperate not to ruin her one chance she had. If her brother knew where she was, he would take her back home instantly and probably keep an even closer eye on her to prevent further escape attempts.

"Oh? And what will you give me in exchange for hiding this piece of information?"

"What do you want, Hisoka?"

"I wonder… For now, you owe me a favor. And when the time comes, I expect you to deliver." Sera shuddered. Whatever the favor could be, it was not going to be good. But she had no choice.

"Fine," she hissed. "But leave me alone. You have to act like we don't know each other at all."

"Of course, sweet Sera." With their agreement, Sera caught up with Killua and Gon. Hisoka seemingly disappeared.

"What was _that_ about?" He whispered to her.

"Nothing," she lied. "A friend of my brother's. Just wanted to say hi. Don't worry about it." Her light gray eyes looked white in the fog.

He gave her a suspicious look. He didn't believe it for one moment. But her eyes were begging him to drop it and he consented. Eventually, he was going to find out.

The fog thickened and it was becoming difficult to keep track of Satotz. Killua suggested they move closer to the front. Sera eagerly agreed. Both wanted to create distance from Hisoka.

"Leorio! Kurapika! Killua says that we should move up!" Gon shouted to their other friends. Kurapika said that they should go on without them and not to worry.

But that's when Sera always began to worry. Especially with Hisoka around. Killua grabbed a hold of Sera's wrist and dragged her forward and Gon followed. Usually she would argue about being forced around, but she let it slide. They both knew Sera felt extremely uncomfortable around the magician.

In the back, they could hear screams, but they continued forward. More and more people were disappearing, separated from the fog. Gon voiced his concerns about their friends. They stopped when the ground beneath them collapsed as they were swallowed by a giant frog. Sera screamed in fear and instinctively wrapped herself around Killua.

Several moments later, the toad had thrown the three of them up and hopped away. Gon laughed. "Guess he didn't like the taste of us."

"It was this." Killua said, indicating the drink he took from Tonpa.

"I'm still worried about Leorio and Kurapika," Gon said, looking toward the other direction.

Killua sighed. "Forget about them. Let's get a move on. We can still catch up to the examiner. You can stop holding me now, Sera." She blushed when she realized her arms were still wrapped around him and quickly jumped away from him in embarrassment.

Killua and Sera started to continue, but Gon stopped. He turned around and ran off. "Gon! Wait!" Sera ran after him. Even if she didn't bring it up, she was worried too. And if Gon was going to find Kurapika and Leorio, she would go as well. "Sorry, Killua. I'll see you at the finish line!"

Gon and Sera raced through the fog and marsh. She followed Gon as he used his senses to determine the location of their friends. She almost tripped when she sensed Hisoka's presence. He said he would leave her alone, but that didn't include her friends. And she knew that neither Kurapika nor Leorio were a match against Hisoka.

As they closed in, they noticed Leorio approaching Hisoka to attack. _No Leorio! Don't!_ She wanted to scream, but remained silent. Their best move was to catch the magician off-guard. Hisoka easily dodged Leorio's attack and was about to retaliate until Gon used his fishing rod to smack him in the face, creating a diversion. Hisoka was unprepared for such a move.

"I made it in time," Gon said with a look of determination.

 _Be careful, Gon._

"Not bad, little boy. Is that a fishing pole? What a fascinating weapon. Allow me to take a closer look." Hisoka casually approached Gon. Leorio tried to use this opportunity to attack Hisoka from behind, but Hisoka quickly punched Leorio before he could land a hit. Gon also tried a swing at him, but missed completely. Hisoka was just too fast for either of them.

"Hisoka, stop this! Please!" Sera begged.

He paid no attention to her. "You came to rescue your friend? Such a good boy." Despite Gon's speed and heightened senses, Gon's attacks missed. Sera knew that Gon was incredibly talented and skilled, but Hisoka was on a completely different level.

"And that expression..." Gon continued to swing his fishing pole around, hoping to get at least one hit in. But all he was doing was exhausting his energy.

"Gon! You gotta stop! You're gonna tire yourself out like this!" Sera advised. She didn't know what to do. If she fought Hisoka, she would lose. If she didn't, Gon could get himself killed. Sera knew that look. Hisoka was enticed by Gon and that was far from good news.

"Nice. Very nice. I'm getting excited now..." Gon tried one last trick up his sleeve. He threw his pole right in front of Hisoka purposely to cause a diversion and quickly struck from behind. Hisoka was already a step ahead and grabbed Gon at the throat. A wicked smile was on his face. "How wonderful… I really do love that look."

"GON!" Sera screamed. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists together tightly. It was now or never. With all of her strength, she pushed herself forward as fast as she could go and aimed for one hit. One single touch on the wrist should be enough for Hisoka to forcefully let go of Gon.

Hisoka was simply faster. While still gripping Gon, Hisoka evaded Sera's attack and used his other arm to strike her in the back. She was immediately stunned as the wind was knocked out of her. She crumbled to the ground, gasping for breath and reaching for Gon. As she coughed and coughed, she weakly attempted to help Gon. Her body failed her and she found herself collapsed on the ground next to Leorio.

Hisoka was about to kill Gon. As he struggled for his last breath, his eyes fluttered and almost lost consciousness. The magician noticed this and found himself releasing Gon from his grasp. Gon fell to the ground as he coughed and struggled for air. "Do not fear. I will not kill your friend. He passed. Yes, you pass, as well. Grow up and become a fine Hunter." There was a strange beeping sound and Hisoka took out a communication device from his pocket.

"Hisoka, you should get back here. We're nearly at the Phase Two site."

"Okay, I'll be right there." He turned off the device. "It's always good to have friends. I see my lovely flower has picked very good ones." He hauled Leorio over his shoulder. "You can find your own way back, yes?" Gon nodded, confused. "Good boy." He glanced at the collapsed girl with a smile. "I look forward to the day when you become a magnificent rose, my darling." With that, Hisoka walked off into the fog.

Gon took a moment to regain himself. Sera moaned in pain as she flipped herself onto her back before attempting to stand up. Gon rushed over to assist her. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah...should be. Just give me some time. The only thing that really hurts is my pride. Do you mind helping me back to the others?" Gon nodded.

"Of course." Neither wanted to talk about what happened. About their crushing defeat. About the terrifying magician who was stronger than they ever feared. Kurapika soon joined them. He quickly noticed Sera's state as she slung one arm over Gon's shoulder and dragged her feet.

"Here, let me help," Kurapika offered. Without waiting for a response, Kurapika lifted Sera piggy-back style. "We will be able to make it to the end faster this way." Sera wearily nodded. She wanted to close her eyes and cry, but instead buried herself into his shoulder for comfort.

"Thank you… Kura..." she mumbled. Hisoka didn't hold back with his attack and Sera reprimanded herself for not expecting it.

Gon used his sense of smell to lead them toward the destination. "Leorio's cologne is very unique. I can smell him from a few kilometers away." He paused, thinking to himself. "Say, Kurapika… What did Hisoka mean when he said that we passed?"

"Hisoka was acting as a judge."

"A judge?"

"Yes. He must have his own benchmarks for evaluating power. It's possible that he was ascertaining each applicant's strength. Apparently, you and Leorio must have met his standards."

"That's not a good thing..." Sera whispered. "Once you are on Hisoka's radar, you become his plaything. His toy. His target. I would know. He will never forget."

"I see. But I was powerless to do anything against him."

"It doesn't matter. He saw potential in you. He judges strength by your character, not necessarily your skill. He wants to see you grow into it. That's why he doesn't kill you. It's a waste in his eyes. He desires more than anything else to experience strength at it's highest ability."

"How do you know all this, Sera?" Gon asked.

"He and my brother are… well, I wouldn't really know what to call them. But they know each other. I used to live with my brother, before I, er, decided to leave. He's the only family I have. But my brother has a very unique taste for friends. Anyway, I met Hisoka a few years ago and ever since, he's always been way too interested in my development. I never liked him, but my brother kept him around." Sera explained cautiously, careful to not let any details slip. As much as she trusted her friends, she still wasn't ready to explain the whole story. If she did, she feared they would abandon her.

The three of them barely managed to make it to the destination in time. Sera was able to stand without assistance, but she still felt very weak and found herself struggling to exert the necessary energy to walk without a limp. Killua was relieved to see them, particularly Gon and Sera.

His relief turned to concern when he saw the state Sera was in. Completely disheveled, wobbling around, and her hair that was usually neatly braided was a mess. "What happened?" He asked Gon.

"A brief encounter with Hisoka," Sera answered instead. She smiled slightly, hoping to show him that she was fine and there was no need to worry. Killua inwardly cursed. His anger flared and he wanted nothing more to make that magician suffer. Despite their short time knowing each other, he felt insanely protective of Sera. His princess.

"From now on, you're sticking with me," he practically growled. Sera blushed, happy to see that the white-haired boy cared so much about her. She felt the same way about him and Gon and Kurapika and even Leorio. They were her first friends and she wanted to protect them.

She only wondered how long this bliss with her friends would last.

X X X

Thank you to everyone for the support! I am very dedicated to this story and I hope you will stick with this long journey.

Special thank you to Olivia Kayne, my first reviewer! I appreciate it so much!

Next chapter to follow immediately!


	5. Hunter X Marks

As promised, an additionally chapter for today! Let the Second Phase begin!

X X X

CHAPTER V: HUNTER X MARKS

"Phase Two of the exam will occur here, in the Biska Forest Park," Satotz announced to the remaining applicants. Over two hundred had failed to complete the first phase, leaving a little over one hundred left. "So, I shall take my leave. Best of luck to all of you."

A giant gate opened to reveal a large mansion. "Will all applicants who passed the First Phase please enter?" It was a female examiner this time along with a very large man behind her. "Welcome. I'm Menchi, the Second Phase examiner."

"And I'm Buhara, the other examiner." No one said a word, thinking about what this challenge would be. A loud growl was heard, coming from Buhara's stomach. Sera just blinked, utterly confused.

"You must be hungry." Menchi smiled at the other examiner.

"I'm starving..." he moaned.

"There you have it. Phase Two will involve… cooking!" She announced.

Silence. And then a collective, "What!?" from the group. _Seriously? What kind of exam is this? How did cooking determine whether or not you were qualified to be a Hunter?_ Sera internally debated _. On the other hand, this could be very advantageous to me, since I take great pride in my cooking._

For the most part, Sera had recovered from Hisoka's attack. She was no longer winded and while her back was still injured, she could walk without major issues.

"We're here to take the Hunter Exam!" One of the applicants said in frustration.

"That's right. Your challenge for the Second Phase is to produce a dish that will satisfy our palate." Menchi explained.

"Why do we have to cook?!"

"That's because we are Gourmet Hunters." Most of the applicants laughed at this, although Sera didn't find it funny at all. Everyone who was a Hunter had their own reasons for being one and regardless of what kind of Hunter they were, at least they were passionate about their profession. To her, that's what mattered.

According to Buhara, the only required ingredient was pork, which could be obtained from the pigs in the local forest. And thus began the Second Phase of the Hunter's Exam as people rushed off to locate and collect their main ingredient.

"Man, this challenge is a bore," Killua complained.

"Don't you mean a _boar_?" Sera chuckled at her own pun. Killua just rolled his eyes, but a small smile graced his lips.

"This is way easier than the First Phase," Leorio commented.

"I hope it will be that simple..." Kurapika wondered aloud.

Gon suddenly slid down a hill. Killua followed and crashed into him. And then Sera, Leorio, and lastly Kurapika. "Found them." Gon suddenly said.

And they had indeed found them. Large carnivorous pigs. Sera's eyes sparkled. "Oh my gosh! They are so adorable!" She turned to Killua excitedly. "Can I keep one? _Pretty, pretty please_?"

"No," all of them said at once. Sera huffed. Several of the pigs turned to look at them and began charging straight toward them. The gang raced away, except for Sera, who eagerly jumped on top of one of them and rode it like a bull.

"This is definitely more fun than the previous Phase," Sera cheerily exclaimed, hugging the creature that was desperately trying to kick her off.

"Sera! Be careful!" Kurapika shouted at her, still concerned about her previous injury.

"These pigs are crazy," Leorio yelled as they were continually chased by the massive boars. Sera continued to giggle.

Gon soon discovered that the way to defeat them was through their weak foreheads. They all aggressively attacked their targets in order to ready their ingredient for the meal. Meanwhile, instead of injuring her pig, Sera rubbed it's forehead gently. As if entranced, the creature laid down and rolled over like a puppy. "Now can I have one as a pet?" Sera asked once more.

"No," they all answered. Sera sighed.

"I'm sorry that this has to be this way, piggy." And with a firm press of her fingers, the creature painlessly was killed and carried it back toward the cooking site. Now time for her cooking skills to show.

Sera lit the flame gently. Too much fire would overcook the outside. It was also too big, making it difficult to cook the inside to a rich and juicy texture. With the cooking ingredients available to her, Sera decided on a tender pork loin. First, she sliced her pig into medium-sized portions and seasoned it with some spices and oils at her disposal. Sera never rushed her cooking, preferring it to marinate at the ideal temperature as opposed to rushing to be first.

While she let the pork loin simmer, she noticed the others turning in their meals. While Buhara would always pass them, Menchi was a stickler for fine-tasting food. She hoped her dish would be up to par. So far, no one's dish had please Menchi.

As for Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika, they opted to focus on presentation as opposed to taste, which also resulted in their failure. She couldn't help but laugh at their misery. _Boys_.

Finally, her meat was cooked throughly inside and out. Lastly, she decorated the pork loin with a tangy barbecue sauce. Feeling the dish was not yet complete, Sera quickly prepared some steamed carrots and squash. She placed the meat in the middle for emphasis and decorated the edges of the plate with the veggies. With her extra meat, she set aside a few plates for her friends to try as well.

"Menchi?" She asked shyly, nervous to present her creation. "Here's my dish, a tender pork loin with steamed carrots and squash."

Menchi narrowed her eyes at the meal in front of her. She wouldn't admit it, but she was impressed. Unlike the rest, she put effort into preparation instead of just grilling the pig whole. Based on where she cut the meat, the little girl knew what she was doing.

Before she tasted it, she asked the girl, "Where did you learn to cook?"

"I'm self-taught," she admitted with a blush. "I didn't have a lot of female role models in my life. It was mostly just me and my brother. I didn't have parents so when it came to food, my brother would just pick what he thought was best. At some point, I decided I would take over when it came to meals so I practiced a lot and eventually learned tips and tricks to prepping food."

Buhara devoured the meal in pleasure, instantly passing her. Menchi, on the other hand, took several bites, testing the consistency and taste. "While you cooked the meat thoroughly, you added slightly too much salt in the beginning, which dried it out a bit. Your combination was interesting though, so the taste was insightful. I also liked that you added a side dish, knowing that just meat alone wouldn't be considered an actual meal. The carrots were a bit too sweet for my preference, but I understand why you sweetened them." She paused, overall evaluating Sera's meal. "You have a lot of work ahead of you when it comes to cooking, but your technical skills are very professional. What you lack is experience. On the other hand, you clearly put more effort than the rest of these bozos. Therefore, you pass."

Sera's eyes brightened happily and bowed in respect. "Thank you very much, Menchi! I'll take your advice to heart."

"Have you ever considered becoming a Gourmet Hunter?"

Sera shook her head. "I honestly don't know yet. I really just want to be a kind Hunter if there is such a thing." Sera laughed to herself. "I just want to help people. Give back to the world, you know?"

"That's an admirable goal. I wish you luck. And if you ever change your mind and want to become a Gourmet Hunter, find me and I will take you on as an apprentice."

"Thank you, again, Menchi. And I will."

At the announcement of her passing, most of the older applicants began shouting and protesting. "You only passed her because she's a young girl," one of them insisted.

Menchi narrowed her eyes. "All of you failed because you couldn't take your hand out of your asses for one moment and actually put effort into this challenge. This young girl was the only one to take this phase seriously and that's the reason I passed her. I'm stuffed now, so the only one to pass is number 406. We're finished here."

Everyone began freaking out and complaining. Sera was concerned as well. She felt bad that none of her friends had passed this phase of the Exam. "I'm sure it isn't over," Sera comforted her friends. "They can't just let one person pass the Exam. But while this sorts itself out, why don't you try the dish I made? I have some extras. Menchi said it might be too dry, but at the very least, it should fill your stomachs, especially since that long trek."

Leorio eagerly dug into his food, eating like the pig he killed. The rest at least showed decent manners. "This is really good!" Kurapika complimented Sera sincerely. "It's not dry at all." Sera blushed a bright pink.

"Yeah, I could eat this forever!" Gon shared as well. Killua nodded.

"I'm glad."

X X X

A sudden crash was heard. One of the applicants had completely destroyed their kitchen area. "I won't accept this. I absolutely refuse to accept this!"

"In the end, you've still failed," Menchi replied simply, uncaring.

"Stop screwing around! You asked for pork, so we risked our lives-"

"I said to prepare the pork in a manner that we both find delicious. None of you, except for 406, made anything remotely delicious. You all did almost the same thing. There was no effort made… Just when I thought someone actually tried, they only changed the appearance. No one attempted to emphasize the flavor. I'm positive, aside from number 406, that none of you took cooking seriously! In other words, you don't have the guts to try anything new."

"Shut up! I'm not trying to become a cook or a gourmet… I want to become a Hunter!" The others cheered along as well. No one was going to simply accept these results. One of the applicants even tried to attack Menchi, but Buhara quickly tossed him off.

"Let me clarify this… We frequently venture into the dens of ferocious beasts, searching for ingredients. Every Hunter knows some form of martial art." She tossed four sets of knifes around as if she was prepared to attack them. "You lack focus and the willingness to experiment. That alone disqualifies you from becoming Hunters!"

No one said a thing. Instead from a microphone, someone said, "That being said, it would be excessive to fail almost every single applicant." It was coming from an airship in the sky, hovering over the exam site.

An old man fell from the sky and landed with ease despite must have falling over three hundred feet. This was the chairman of the Selection Committee, the one in charge of the Hunter Exam. _He must be extremely powerful to be in such a position. He was probably stronger than Hisoka. Maybe even her brother_.

"Chairman Netero," Menchi cautiously introduced.

"I only take action when there's an issue, like now. So, Menchi..."

"Yes."

"You failed all but one of the applicants because you disapproved of their reluctance to try new things?"

"No, sir… I lost my cool when one of the candidates insulted Gourmet Hunters. And I made the exam harder than necessary."

"In other words, you're aware that this exam was unacceptable."

"Yes sir. When cooking is involved, I lose control. But my passing of number 406 was sincere. I believe she is worthy of continuing to the next Phase even though I'm unqualified to be an examiner. I will resign as examiner, so please redo the Second Phase!"

"I will accept the passing of number 406. But it would be difficult to find another examiner on such short notice."

"I apologize..."

"Very well. How about this? I'd like you to continue serving as an examiner. But you must also participate in the new test you propose. Is that acceptable? I'm certain that will help the applicants to accept their results."

"That's true… Then the new challenge will be boiled eggs! Chairman, can you take us to Mt. Split-in-Half in your airship?"

"Mt. Split-in-Half? I see what you're doing. Certainly, I can."

X X X

As the title entailed, the mountain was split in half by a deep abyss. Falling would mean death for sure. Sera trembled. Would she really have to go down there?

"Look down there." Menchi instructed. "A Spider Eagle's web. Look below the web. Those are Spider Eagle eggs. Spider Eagles build their webs in deep ravines to protect their eggs from predators. This makes their eggs one of the most difficult ingredients to obtain. The eggs are also known as dream eggs." Suddenly, Menchi leaped off the edge and dove into the ravine. She grabbed onto one of the webs, but the eggs were still far below her.

She waited for the perfect moment and let go to obtain an egg. She continued to fall. A burst of powerful wind floated her back up to the top.

"Wow!" Gon said excitedly.

"That looks fun!" Killua added.

 _No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No_.

Sera was absolutely terrified of falling. There was no way she would be able to complete this challenge. "I'll help you," Killua offered, noticing her tense up at the idea of having to go down there. She shook her head erratically.

"No, I think, I'll, uh, just wait over here if that's okay with you. Yeah, way over here, where there was no chance of me accidentally falling, thank you very much." She shifted away from the edge. Before she had a chance, Killua grabbed her by the waist and leaped off with Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika.

Sera screamed and struggled as they voluntarily (except for her) fell into the ravine. They hung onto the web and waited. She held onto Killua as tightly as possible as he chuckled at how cute she was being.

They waited and waited and waited. Gon suddenly shouted, "Now!" and they let go to fall deeper. Sera shut her eyes tightly. All of them grabbed onto an egg and Killua grabbed two, one for her and one for him. They continued to fall until the updraft floated them back to the top.

Sera's legs failed her as she collapsed onto the ground. She dramatically kissed the earth, thanking the gods that she was still alive. "It wasn't that bad," Killua laughed as did the others.

"Actually, as she passed the first attempt at the Second Phase, there was no need for her to do this one," Chairman Netero told them.

She suddenly stood up and eerily turned over to face the white-haired boy with a dark smile. Killua stopped laughing and stepped back in fear. Her look was crazy with murder in her eyes. Without waiting, Killua began running far, far away from her. With all of her speed, she chased after him, exclaiming, "I'm going to kill you, Killua!" Everyone, including Menchi and the chairman, laughed at the two of them, running around like the kids they were.

Sera tackled him to the ground and held him down by his arms. "Don't you ever, _ever_ do that to me again. Do. You. Understand?" Killua gulped and nodded. She got off him and helped him up. "After all, it would be such a _shame_ to lose all of that pretty white hair you've got." Killua's eyes widened. He could not imagine himself bald.

X X X

"Sera, here." Menchi offered her a plate of her boiled egg. "This is your reward for completing the initial challenge. My own recipe." Sera smiled happily and tasted Menchi's boiled egg.

It tasted like heaven. No wonder they were called dream eggs. It was so fluffy and sweet, but soft and melted in your mouth. "Thank you, Menchi."

The older female chuckled. "Good luck with the rest of your exam. I wish you the best. Here is my number, by the way. Contact me if you ever need anything." Sera beamed. She hoped to encounter the Gourmet Hunter in the future, possibly when she, too, was a licensed Hunter.

Everyone else seemed to enjoy their cooked eggs as well. Sera was grinning from ear to ear. She and her friends had successfully completed the Second Phase, meaning they were one step closer to getting their licenses. Plus, she also got to meet an inspiring female Hunter and role model.

At this point in the exam, only 43 applicants remained.


	6. Across X The X Skies

I'm so excited to finally post this chapter. It is longer than the others, but it has one of my favorite scenes. I really hope you enjoy it! I think it's super cute!

X X X

CHAPTER VI: ACROSS X THE X SKIES

To get to the location of the Third Phase, Chairman Netero had announced they would be traveling via airship. Although Sera had a phobia of falling, the enclosed airship did not bother her in the slightest. Instead, she loved the views similar to her experience on the ship where she first met Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio.

"Allow me to introduce myself to the forty-three remaining applicants. I am Netero, Chairman of this year's Hunter Exam Selection Committee."

There was a strange green figure beside him. It was the same thing that gave everyone their respective numbers when they first got to the exam site. "I am his secretary, Beans."

"Originally, I'd planned to make my appearance during the exam's final phase, but as I'm already here… I'm loving this tension in the air!"

 _Was he making a pun? This old man was quite the eccentric type_. Sera had no clue what to expect from him.

"So I think I'll stick around for the rest of the trip." He laughed to himself. Killua yawned, either from boredom or just tired from the lack of sleep since the Hunter's Exam begun.

"We are scheduled to arrive at our destination tomorrow morning, at 8 AM. You'll find dinner waiting in the dining hall. You are also welcome to get some rest. In other words, you're free to do as you please until you are contacted." Beans stated.

"Okay, Gon! Sera! Let's explore the airship!" Killua excitedly suggested. The two kids agreed and raced off on their own.

X X X

Menchi, Satotz, and Buhara discussed the exam in their private room dedicated for the examiners.

"Hey, how many applicants do you expect to make it?" Menchi asked her partner.

"You mean pass the exam?"

"Yep. This year, we have an impressive group. Especially number 406. She was the only who I allowed to pass at one point..."

"But doesn't it depend on what the upcoming phases consist of?"

"That's true… But didn't you notice it? One of them had this whole aura thing going on. What do you think, Satotz?"

"Oh, yes. I like the rookies this year."

Menchi laughed. "So you agree? I am in favor of number 406. She really impressed me with her cooking. Aside from her, I also think number 294 has a good shot."

"I'm partial to number 99," Satotz said.

"He looks like a selfish, spoiled brat," Menchi admitted. "Except when it comes to 406. I kinda ship them. What about you, Buhara?"

"Well… he isn't a rookie, but number 44 is the one I favor. I'm sure you noticed, but when number 255 was throwing a fit, it was number 44 who was really on the verge of killing someone."

"I did notice that, of course. He could barely restrain himself from tearing off our heads. But didn't you realize? He was already that way from the first moment we appeared."

"Really?" Menchi nodded.

"Yeah, that's the real reason I was so edgy. He kept challenging me."

"I had a similar experience," Satotz shared. "He should be carefully monitored. Though it pains me to admit this, we are birds of a feather with him. However, his affinity for darkness is far stronger. As Hunters, we are continually seeking out rivals. Ultimately, the Hunter Exam is but a place to find opponents worthy of respect. And every once in a while, we encounter someone who hits the floor running when we try to slow things down. An oddball of sorts."

"He still gives me the creeps. I felt so bad for numbers 405 and 406 when he kept looking like he was going to eat them. Makes me want to protect them, especially 406. She seems so strong and kind despite her appearance. I gave her my number in case she needed help."

"Regardless of the results, we should all expect the unexpected for our new set of Hunters," Satotz remarked as he took a sip of his tea. Menchi and Buhara nodded in agreement.

X X X

"Hey there! Kids! Stay out of the kitchen!" A chef yelled at the trio before kicking them out. The three of them had managed to sneak out chicken legs to eat.

"Wow, awesome!" Killua suddenly looked out the window, staring at the city lights from above.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Sera sighed dreamily. "Such a romantic setting."

Killua rolled his eyes, still taking in the sight. "Don't be such a girl."

"Hey, I happen to _be a girl_."

"But you don't have to act like one," Killua teased with a smirk.

Gon ignored the bickering of his two friends. "It's like the ground is covered in jewels!"

"Yeah," Killua agreed.

Gon suddenly changed topics. "Hey, I was wondering..."

"Hmm?"

"Where are your mom and dad?"

"They're alive. Probably."

"What do they do?" Sera asked out of curiosity.

"They're assassins," Killua stated, point blank.

"Both of them?" Gon asked,

At the same time, Sera said, "That's pretty cool."

Killua snickered. "That's your first reaction? You really are a riot! The both of you! You're the first people I've met who's ever responded seriously."

"Well, you're telling the truth, right?"

"What makes you say that?"

"It's just a hunch."

Killua confirmed that he was, indeed, telling the truth. "That's weird… People only like me because they can't ever tell whether I'm serious. I'm from a family of assassins so they're all assassins. And my family has really high hopes for me... But I can't stand it. Who wants to have their live planned out for them?" His voice sounded down and reflective. Sera reached out for his hands, placing hers on top of his.

"Killua. That's not why I like you," Sera interrupted. "Yes, you are very strong and I'm sure you would make a great assassin if you wanted to be. But you're also funny and sweet and beneath that standoffish exterior, you are a good person. I can tell. You also are really brave and strong and honest and..." Sera continued to list the traits she liked about him.

Killua found himself blushing. "Jeez, stop it already. I get it. Uh, thanks. There's a lot of things I like about you too." He muttered quietly the last bit, clearly embarrassed to say it. He continued his confession. "When I told them I wanted to decide my own future, they all snapped! My mother had tears streaming down her face, as she told me I have the potential to be a top assassin. Horrible parents, right? It's natural their kid would go bad. We ended up fighting. So I stabbed my mother in the face, my brother in the side, and ran away from home. I'm sure they're out for blood now. But if they find me, I'll send them packing. When I become a Hunter, I'll start by capturing my family. I'm sure they're worth some hefty bounties..."

Sera giggled as he avidly explained his point of view. Sera had a sudden realization. "Wait a sec. Are you a Zoldyck?"

"So you have heard of them. Yeah, that's my family."

"You must be really strong then. My brother told me about them. Said that the Zoldyck family is definitely people you do not want to mess with. And that means something coming from him."

"What about you? What's your family like?" Gon asked.

"Um..." Sera didn't know what to say. She still was far from ready from telling the truth. But she couldn't outright lie to her friends. Especially Gon and Killua. "Well, my mom died when I was born and I never knew my father, so I was raised by my brother. He's fourteen years older than me. We started off really poor, but we dealt with it because we had each other. I never really minded about the money anyway. At first, I wanted to be like him. I followed him everywhere like a lost puppy." She laughed at the memory. "He eventually found a group of friends and they stuck together like glue. He was never seen without at least two of his friends after that. We sort of became a large family. All of us had no homes to go to. Only each other. After doing some odd jobs, we finally had enough to leave that shit hole of a city. We moved around, never staying in one place for too long. I was a lot different back then..."

She paused to catch her breath. "About five years ago, I saw something I never wanted to see again. So I promised myself that one day I would become a Hunter and change the world I lived in. You see, I was really angry for a long time because I felt the world had abandoned me and my brother and as a result, I did a lot of things I now deeply regret. So I promised myself that I wouldn't be that person anymore. That I would only show the world and it's people kindness. That if I faced enemies, I would have the courage to kill them with kindness instead of hatred. I want to show the world that kindness can be it's own powerful weapon. A weapon of heart."

She kept her story as vague as possible, not going into too many details and never mentioning names. And while she did not give them the complete story, she was still very open with her feelings. It made her feel vulnerable and she hoped that they would still accept her.

Gon was to her left and Killua to her right. They sat in silence for a moment for Gon smiled at her and gave her a long hug. Killua lightly held her hand. "Don't worry, Sera. You've shown the both of us how strong you can be. Just by being the kind soul you are." Sera wanted to cry, but held back tears. She was truly grateful for meeting both of them. Kurapika and Leorio too.

X X X

Chairman Netero had heard the confession and saw the heartwarming moment between the two boys and girl. In that minute, he made a decision. He released a flash of a very powerful aura, causing the three of them to look in that direction.

He was already coming from the other direction. "Ah, Netero, did you see anyone coming from that side?" Gon asked innocently. Killua glared at the old man.

"No," he denied.

"You're pretty fast for an old man," Killua bluntly told him. Sera nodded. _Was that aura just now intentional? Why would he do such a thing?_

"That little trick? I barely moved."

"What do you want? You don't have to do anything until the last phase, right?" Killua demanded, putting aside all formalities.

"No need to be so unkind. I got bored, and was looking for some companions."

"Killua is not being unkind," Sera immediately defended him. "It's insulting to act as if we don't know anything."

"By the way, I meant to ask the three of you… Any thoughts on your first attempt at the Hunter Examination?"

"Uh-huh! It's fun! And there haven't been any of the written exams I was dreading," Gon said with a smile. _Gon, don't you notice the tension right now_?

"I'm disappointed… I expected the exam to be far more difficult. I assume the next phase will be more entertaining?"

"Well, now… I wouldn't know about that. And you, miss?"

"I'm withholding my thoughts on the matter until the end. Then I will express my opinion."

"Let's go, Gon. Sera." Killua already started making his way back. Gon was about to follow until the chairman interrupted.

"Now wait just a moment. Would you care to play a game with me?"

"A game?"

"If you two are able to defeat me, I shall let you be Hunters!"

"Two? Don't you mean three?" Gon asked.

"I am only offering this to you, Gon, and you, Killua."

"But that's not fair! Sera should be allowed to play as well!" Gon argued back. Killua agreed. _Why the sudden separation between them and her? Was it because she was girl? No, there's no way he would be that much of an idiot. Then what could it be?_ He glanced at the pink-haired girl. She wasn't protesting. _Meaning she knew and understood why she couldn't take part. What does she know?_

"It's okay, Gon. You and Killua should take advantage of his offer. If you win, you get to become true Hunters!" She cheered them on and they reluctantly accepted.

X X X

The strange chairman took them to an empty room. He was holding a ball in his left hand and balancing on his right foot.

"Is it okay if I watch?" She asked.

"That's fine. But any assistance of any means disqualifies them both." Sera nodded and sat in the corner to watch and cheer her boys on.

"Now I'll go over the rules of the game. If you can take this ball from me before the airship reaches its destination, you win. I believe that we're scheduled for an 8 AM arrival? Well, that still gives you nine hours. You're free to attack me however you'd like. I won't touch you."

"Huh? That's too easy. You can't call that a game." _You are so far off the mark on that one, Gon_ , Sera thought to herself. She knew Killua was also thinking the same thing.

"Why not give it a try first?"

"We just have to take the ball?" Killua asked for confirmation.

"Yeah."

"Then I'll go first." Killua stepped up the begin his strategy. Sera sat up straighter, wondering just what Killua would try. As far as she knew, despite being raised an assassin, Killua still lacked the required abilities to win this game, but she could be wrong.

"Go ahead."

Glaring, Killua started walking slowly around his target. His movement was in a particular pattern and in doing so, he created shadows of his movement, making it difficult to tell exactly where and which one he truly was. Then, Killua lunged full force. And lunged. And lunged. Netero easily avoided them all. Killua jumped away, analyzing the old man, looking for a strategy. He lunged once more, this time aiming for his legs to halter his fluidity. With all his strength, Killua kicked Netero on his pivot leg.

"No!" Sera shouted in worry as she realized what he was doing. Killua's plan backfired immediately and he crouched in pain. Sera resisted the urge to help him, not wanting to ruin his chances. "Are you okay, Killua?"

"Yeah," he groaned. "I'm fine."

"Killua. Tag! Tag!" Gon waved, wanting to give it a try now.

They slapped hands and Gon stretched his body. Killua went to sit by Sera.

"It was a good try," Sera whispered to him. "Once you're done playing, let me give your foot a look at." Killua nodded. They waited for Gon's attempt.

Gon aimed for a head on attack. It looked that way at first until Gon tried to attack from above. But the ceiling was far too low and he ended up banging his head against the ceiling. Sera slapped her forehead at his own stupidity. Killua held back a laugh as Gon held his head in pain.

"You're supposed to use your head metaphorically, not literally, Gon," Sera said as she rolled her eyes, still not believing what she had just witnessed.

"I messed up there," Gon shrugged it off with his typical carefree smile.

Three hours passed and the two boys were still going at it, more determined than ever to the point they were shedding off their clothes, sweat dripping off their backs. "You two aren't getting anywhere. Why not attack simultaneously?" The old man taunted.

They followed his advice and began attacking together, but Netero still had no trouble avoiding their attacks. Gon and Killua even managed to slam into each other after Netero slipped away from a joint attack. They almost had it too when Gon actually kicked his shoes at the chairman, catching him off guard. But, when Netero put actual effort in, they were swiftly beaten.

 _I'm so sorry, Gon. Killua. I wish I could help_.

Killua was getting frustrated. Stubbornly, he said, "Forget it… I give up. I lose."

"Why? We still have time. And just now, we came really close."

"Jeez. You really have no clue, do you?"

"Killua," Sera warned.

"The old man has barely used his right hand and his left leg."

"What?"

"But we're still powerless against him. We could chase him around for a year and never take the ball from him."

"So that's what he was doing."

"Let's go, Gon!" Sera got up to follow him.

"Oh, I'm gonna play a little longer." Sera smiled. She really liked the fact how positive and determined Gon was.

"Huh? Didn't you hear what I said!? It's useless! You won't be able to take the ball from him!" Killua was truly upset at having to admit defeat.

"Yeah! I don't care about the ball. We've only used up half the time limit. I'm gonna make Netero use his right hand before time runs out."

Killua looked absolutely flabbergasted. Before things got out of hand, Sera tried to diffuse the situation. "Good luck, Gon. I'm sure you can do it. I think I'm getting tired though, so Killua and I are going to get some rest before the start of the next phase. Right, Killua?" She gave him a look that said agree or die.

"Uh, yeah. Whatever," he grumbled.

"Oh and Chairman Netero?" She smiled sweetly.

"Yes?"

" _The next time you forbid me from doing something, it will be you who's gonna need some sleep_." She said with venom laced in her voice. Her eyes flashed in anger and she released a sharp aura that felt like Death had entered the room. As quickly as it came, though, it vanished and Sera was once again smiling sweetly as if nothing had changed. "I'll see you later, Gon." She dragged Killua out of the room with her.

X X X

Sera and Killua walked back in silence, both unsure of what to say to the other. That incredible aura… Killua was genuinely frightened at the moment. It reminded him of his older brother. He was still in a bad mood from losing the fight and he knew that if he spoke, he would say something he would regret.

On the other hand, Sera was genuinely concerned for Killua. He was clearly upset, but she had no idea what to say or do to comfort him. Her decision was to remain silent and offer support just by being close to him. The last thing she wanted was to anger him further.

As they walked, two older candidates passed them, bumping shoulders with the upset white-haired boy. He stopped walking and Sera waited for him. What could she say or do that would lift his wounded pride?

"Hey. Wait up, kid." The older applicants shouted at him. You bump into us, and then ignore us?"

"I saw what happened. You bumped into _him_. Leave us alone." She tried to get Killua to move along, but he stood there frozen. He said nothing. Angered by the lack of response, they ran after him and touched his shoulder briefly.

They were already dead before Sera could prevent it. She had witnessed the whole thing. Killua decidedly continued onward, leaving her behind, lost in his own thoughts. _Killers don't need friends. I am a killer_.

She stood over their dead bodies. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she mourned the lose of two innocents who were in the wrong place in the wrong time. Silently, she pulled their bodies into a broom closet and washed away the evidence. The tears wouldn't stop falling.

She felt guilty for letting this happen. She felt guiltier by that fact she was more concerned with how Killua was feeling. All she could feel in these moments was guilt and concern for a friend. Guilt and concern for not helping him when he was clearly hurting.

She calmed herself and went after Killua. She found him by himself, sulking. Stuck in his head. She sat next to him and said nothing.

"Let me see your leg," she finally brought herself to speak. He looked at her as if she was crazy. "Let me see your leg," this time she ordered. "The one that you hurt when you kicked the chairman."

He wordlessly scooted over and brought his leg up. She carefully removed his shoe. A large purple bruise was already forming. It looked disgustingly painful and Sera cringed. He seemed to notice this and tried to pull away, but she quickly held it firm.

He never felt hands so soft. So gentle as she used her fingers to tend to his wound. He kept his head down, face hidden. He didn't want her to see him. To see the eyes of a killer. A monster. Anyone but her.

She silently continued to make slight adjustments to his foot with the simplest of touches. She was so gentle as she addressed the injury. _His gentle princess_. In the process, he felt something cool fall on to his foot. Her fingers released his foot and he set it down.

 _Oh gods_ , he realized. _She's crying. She must think me a monster. She must hate me now. But why is she tending to my wound if she hates me?_

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Killua wanted to look at her. _Was she crazy? Why is she, of all people, apologizing to me?_ "I'm sorry." She repeated. "Oh gods, I'm _so sorry_ , Killua."

He looked at her. And looked at her. And looked at her more. She looked at him. They looked at each other. He found himself brushing away her tears and held her cheek softly as if she would break in his hands.

"I'm sorry for being so useless. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm sorry that I couldn't comfort you when you needed me." She continued to apologize. Ever sentence that came out of her mouth began with "I'm sorry".

"Stop." He ordered this time. "Stop, _please_." He rarely said please. He never felt the need to until now. Until her.

She stopped. "You shouldn't be the one apologizing. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. I lost my temper. Lost myself for a moment and killed. I never cared about killing before. Never bothered me either. But, I'm sorry. I should never have let you see that. And I'm sorry that I left you alone after."

Sera placed her hand on top of the one that still rested on her cheek. "I don't mind. Honesty, I don't care if you kill. Or if you do it in front of me. I can handle it. I've seen it before. I truly couldn't care less that you do. I'll even clean up the mess if you want." She insisted, needing him to believe her.

"But I do care about you. I care when you get angry. I care when you feel hurt. Or lost. Or injured. I care when you are happy too. And having fun. I will _always_ care, Killua. Always." She gulped. "We just met and I can't explain it, but you are important to me. You and Gon. You two are my first real friends. And as selfish as this sounds, I can't stand not having you around. It almost physically hurts. It hurts me when you aren't being honest with me. It hurts that you don't feel like you can confide in me. It hurts when you hurt. So please, let me be there for you. Regardless of the reason. Just let me be there." Her confession was honest, more honest than she's ever been. Killua did something to her that she couldn't explain.

He remained silent, thinking. She felt like she might scare him away at this point. He could easily walk away and leave her behind. She would understand if he did. She would understand if he didn't return her unexpected feelings.

Instead, he hugged her fiercely. "Thank you," he breathed as if in relief. As if his pain was no longer there. That made her happy as she returned the hug.

Killua made several decisions in that moment. One, Sera was his light. She could bring him back from the darkest of moments. Two, he no longer cared if he was a monster. The world could hate him as long as she did not. Three, he would damn his family before harm befell this girl. And lastly, he would never admit it aloud, but he swore to the gods that he would rather die then spend a single moment in a world without her. At this moment, he decided that this pink-haired girl was a goddess in his eyes. She was right, there was undeniable strength in kindness. And her kindness would probably be the death of him.

But most of all, he was okay with that.

They fell asleep shortly thereafter and those who caught a glimpse of them could only notice how they were sleeping while holding hands and a smile on their faces.

X X X

This was a really important moment for Killua and Sera. They are just too adorable! I mean, they're only twelve so don't expect them to start making out anytime soon. But we'll get there ;) In the mean time, I want them to develop a very close bond and discover more about how their relationship grows throughout their eventual years together.

But yeah, this was a longer chapter but I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter won't be nearly as long.


	7. Wins X And X Losses

I'm sorry I didn't post yesterday. I've been really busy. As an apology, I present to you an extra long chapter. Like this is one of my longest chapters written so far. I wanted to keep this phase of the Exam into one chapter even though it took place over several episodes.

X X X

CHAPTER VII: WINS X AND X LOSSES

Sera and Killua never discussed last night's conversation, not with themselves and definitely not with anyone else. Yet, those who saw them together could tell something had clearly changed between them. Their bond was different, but definitely tighter. They were closer, united even. It was subtle, but Kurapika could see by their body language, the way they talked to each other, and how they saw each other was on another level than before. He was curious, but didn't investigate.

They acted as surprised as anyone else when two candidates had mysteriously vanished.

"Is that where the next test will be held?" Gon asked his friends when they came across a tall pillar.

"Probably," Killua said with a shrug.

Indeed it was. They were placed on the very top of the pillar and there was no way down that they could see. Sera refused to get even close to the edge to try and find out.

"Everyone, the exam's Third Phase will begin here at the top of Trick Tower. To pass this phase, you must reach the tower's base alive. The time limit is seventy-two hours. With that, we will now begin the Third Phase. I will pray for your success."

The applicants wandered around aimlessly, searching for a way to get safely to the bottom. One self-proclaimed professional rock climber attempted to scale down the sides, but was quickly eaten by a creature that flew by. Everyone was traumatized by that scene.

After doing some investigating, Gon called over his friends. "What is it, Gon?" Kurapika asked.

"Look, I found a hidden door." He pressed down on one of the stones.

"I see now," Kurapika said. "So we can descend by flipping the stones."

"Okay! Great job, Gon! Let's head on down!" Leorio said excitedly.

"But I'm confused," replied Gon. "There are also hidden doors here, there, over there, over there, and over there as well." He indicated to various areas.

"That must mean that probably an escape route can only be used once," Sera concluded.

Killua nodded. "And they can only fit one person at a time. We'll have to split up." Sera and Killua shared a look. Neither wanted to separate from the other, but it looked like they would have no other choice.

All of them stood in front of a possible escape route. "See you at the end," they all said together before taking their respective paths. They could all hear Sera's screech as she fell down a hole, knowing it was from her fear of falling.

They were all surprised when they landed in the same enclosed room. "That was quite a brief farewell," Kurapika said with a small laugh. Sera wrapped her arm around Killua, glad to not have to separate from him after all.

A sign was posted on one of the walls. "The six of you must follow the will of the majority to reach the goal," Gon read aloud. There were also six stopwatches each with their own O and X button.

"Six? But there's only five of us," Sera mentioned.

"Guess we have to wait for another person to find a hidden door?" Killua suggested.

"That is correct," A voice from a speaker confirmed. "My name is Lippo. I am the prison warden here as well as the Third Phase examiner."

"Prison warden?"

"Multiple routes through this tower have been prepared. You have chosen the path of majority rule. Cooperation will be key if you wish to clear this phase of the exam. One person's selfish behavior can derail an entire group. And you can't start until you have six members."

"But six is an even number," Sera pointed out. "What if the decision is split fifty-fifty?"

"Then no decision is made and another vote must be cast. Best of luck gentlemen and lady."

To waste time, Gon practiced riding Killua's skateboard, Killua played around with Gon's fishing pole, and Kurapika and Sera played many rounds of Hangman. They waited for two hours before someone finally came down the rabbit hole. And just their luck, it was none other than Tonpa. Sera groaned, Killua glared, and Gon gave him a happy wave.

As Tonpa fitted on the stopwatch and was explained the situation by Kurapika, Sera whispered to Killua. "Does he still think we're siblings?"

Killua made a Cheshire cat grin. "Wanna find out?" Sera held back a laugh and nodded eagerly.

"Let's hope the others will go along with it."

A door appeared. "At this doorm select O to open, X not to open."

Everyone clicked a button on their respective stopwatches. The door also showed how many people answered what. This time it was 4 O and 1 X.

"What? Who pushed the X button?" Leorio asked.

Tonpa apologized. "I pressed the wrong button by mistake."

"Stop screwing around, old man!" Leorio shouted at the rookie crusher. "Are you blind? How can you accidentally press the wrong button!?" _This is going to take forever_ , Sera whined to herself. The door still opened so there was no point in arguing. Leorio was just making this harder than it needed to be.

The next room offered another question. "Which way do you want to go? O for right. X for left."

They all pressed in their answers. O 4. X 2. Leorio exploded again, wanting to know why they chose right.

"You chose to go right, _big brother_?" She smiled. Kurapika shook his head, holding back laughter. He immediately knew what Sera and Killua were up to based on their story about how they met.

" _Big brother_?" Gon and Leorio gaped in shock, confusion clearly on their faces and distracted by the announcement.

"Yeah, you too, _little sis_?" Ignoring the dunderheads, Killua responded to her question.

" _Little sis_?" Gon and Leorio repeated.

"Of course, you were the one who told me that people will naturally go left in a forked path. Therefore it only makes sense to go right in this case."

Killua patted her on the head. "Glad you remember." He took her hand and started walking at the open gate. While it wasn't necessary for them to hold hands, Killua was doing it for selfish reasons. Her hands were soft and warm. He liked having her be near to him.

"Aren't you guys friends?" Tonpa asked Leorio and Gon. "Surely, you would've known they were siblings." Tonpa shrugged and started walking down the path.

"Not me!" Gon and Leorio answered at the same time, falling for their trick that was meant for Tonpa. Sera was holding back her giggles and Killua smirked.

The next room was cut off with a single platform in the middle. Sera reactivly squeezed Killua's hand from fear and Killua rubber her hand with his thumb for reassurance. Across the room on the other side were mysterious figures with hoods that hid their faces and shackles on their hands. An order was called, releasing the handcuffs. One of the figures removed his hooded shirt to reveal a large bald man.

The rules were simple. A one-on-one against each of the prisoners. They had to win four of six rounds in order to proceed. The order would be determined by majority rule again.

"Well, I prefer straightforward rules." Killua shrugged.

For whatever reason, Tonpa volunteered to go first. "I'll act as a guinea pig so we can discover what they're up to." He stepped forward. A road bridged across to the middle section on both sides for the current fighters.

The current prisoner proposed the first match be determined via fight to the death. Tonpa seemed to reluctantly agreed, surprising the others. The prisoner rushed forward about to attack until Tonpa shouted, "I give!" _Now, that's not surprising_ , Sera thought as the others were dazed.

The prisoner accepted the win and walked back to his side of the room. Tonpa returned to their side where Leorio basically called him trash and confirmed his suspicions. _Well, at least Tonpa didn't waste any time…_

The next prisoner was ready to face his challenger and this time Gon volunteered. While he didn't look as strong as the previous prisoner, being already at a disadvantage meant he couldn't underestimate his opponent.

Gon's challenge was to see who's candle would last longer. The group had to make a choice between a smaller and larger candle. "Press O for the long one or X for the short one." Sera thought for a moment. The taller one was probably a trap, making the smaller one a better choice. But by extension, that meant there was a high probability the small one was tampered with.

"Gon, you decide," Kurapika finally spoke out. "We'll abide by your decision. Choose the one you think is best."

"I like that plan. We'll stick with your choice, Gon. You've got this," Sera cheered.

"Are you sure about this?" Killua asked Kurapika. "He never thinks anything through."

"Killua! Don't say that! Regardless if it's a true!" Sera reprimanded her "brother". He shrugged.

"Instead of wasting time over fretting what to do, let's rely on Gon's instincts."

As a result, Gon choose the long one. His reasoning: "Because a longer candle will burn for a longer time!"

They lit their respective candles and an updraft rose from underneath. Thus the waiting game began to see who's candle would die out first.

Gon's candle suddenly burst into a larger flame making it melt faster. At this rate, Gon would lose if he didn't think of something. Gon suddenly grinned. He had an idea. "If the fire is stronger, then a little breeze won't extinguish it." He set his candle down and ran over to the prisoner and blew out the candle with his mouth, making Gon the victor.

"Good job, Gon!" Sera cheered, giving him a thumb's up as he returned back to their side.

This time it was Kurapika's turn. The prisoner revealed himself to be a blue man with heart tattoos across his chest, piercings in his lower lip and some sort of contraption in his left ear. Sera didn't know what to think of this odd-looking individual.

"Look here," he said, pointing to his heart tattoos. "I've killed nineteen people but it bugs me that nineteen is such an uneven number. I'm so glad I get to meet number twenty." He chuckled to himself. Kurapika was unfazed by his act. "I insist that we put our lives on the line. I won't accept some half-assed contest. Blood! Entrails! Agony!" He laughed once more.

He was more strange than scary. "Very well," Kurapika agreed without complaint. "You can decide how we settle this contest. I'll agree to your choice."

"You've got balls. In that case, I also propose a death match where we fight until one of us surrenders or dies. However, don't expect me to stop wen you surrender and beg for your life!"

"Will you just get on with it already?" Sera complained. She was confident Kurapika could handle himself, but this weirdo was just stalling.

"Very well. I accept. Let us begin."

This caught him off guard, but he continued adding rules to his game. "Hold on. I forgot to mention something. No weapons allowed. We'll beat each other to death with our fists."

"If you don't start the match already, I'll beat you until you shut the hell up!" Sera shouted, annoyed. Killua rubbed her shoulders, trying to calm her down.

He continued. "After all, while I may be hired as an examiner, I'm still a prisoner. I'm not allowed to carry weapons."

"I see. I understand," Kurapika again acquiesced to his demands, throwing aside his bokken. "Anything else? If not, I'd like to get started."

The blue man flexed his muscles, which stroke fear in exactly no one. He launched himself in the air, looking as if were to attack Kurapika, but instead his fist landed straight into the ground as Kurapika dodged. He turned around and showed Kurapika his back: along with it a black spider tattoo, the symbol of the Phantom Troupe.

"Kurapika! Wait!" Sera tried to get his attention, but it was too late. Kurapika's anger flared and his eyes burned a scarlet red. Without hesitation, Kurapika grabbed him by his face, crushing his jaw, and punched him into the ground. He didn't even have a chance to surrender.

"Consider that a warning. First, a real Phantom Troupe tattoo has the member's number on the spider. Second, they don't counting how many times they've killed. Third, never mention the Troupe again. If you do, I'll kill you."

Sera bit her lip and her stomach felt sick. He knew that he was a fake and still almost killed him. She found herself struggling to breathe. She needed to tell him the truth. He was her friend and he deserved to know more than anyone else. But, those eyes. That anger. It frightened her to her very core.

Killua noticed immediately that something was very wrong with her. While he didn't know the details, Kurapika's reaction was definitely the cause of it. "Kurapika! Snap out of it!" He yelled. "Look what you're doing to Sera!"

His eyes changed back to his normal color and his voice lost all anger. He looked surprised when he saw Sera, pale and shaking. "Sera..." He raised an arm to comfort her, but she instinctively backed away, turning her head and buried herself into Killua's chest. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him.

Kurapika took this as a sign of fear. He had scared her. His friend. The one who gave him the nickname "Kura". The one who he saw as a younger sister. He took a deep breath and turned away from her as to not scare her further.

"Are you okay, Kurapika?" Leorio asked.

"Yeah, I'm not injured. From the moment I saw him, I knew he was weak. And mentally, I knew that tattoo was a fake. I saw that Sera tried to warn me, too, but I didn't listen. But as soon as I saw that spider, everything in my sight turned red… Actually, to tell you the truth… Even when I see a real spider, my personality changes and I enter a frenzy." He took a moment to catch his breath and sat down in the corner. He wanted to create some distance from himself and Sera.

2 wins. 1 loss. Now they were back in the game, but, it was Leorio's turn. Anything could happen with Leorio's round.

"Toss that guy out, and send in your next competitor!"

"We can't do that."

"What's that?"

"We can't move him yet, because his match hasn't been settled."

"The match hasn't been settled? What do you mean?"

"He's still alive. He was only knocked out. Did you forget? This was a death match. The fight doesn't end until one contestant surrenders or dies. He's still alive, and he hasn't surrendered."

"But she's right," Killua relented.

"Kurapika! Go finish off that worthless trash!" Leorio ordered the worn out blonde.

"I refuse," he said flatly.

"Huh? Why?!"

"The fight is over. I will not fight someone who's lost." _And I don't want to scare Sera anymore than I already did_ , he silently added.

"Screw that! Then what do we do? They're claiming that the match hasn't ended!"

"Just make a decision. Is that so hard?" Sera finally spoke up, annoyed with the constant bickering. "I don't care anymore. Do whatever you want."

Leorio ended up sulking in a corner and Sera was just tired of these endless arguments. Everyone needed to cool off and remained silent for a couple hours. At some point, Killua mentioned that the blue man was already dead.

"Hey! We want to check his body!" Leorio shouted to the other end.

"What's that?"

"He could already be dead."

"I already told you, he's only unconscious."

"How many hours has it been? I can't just take your word for it!"

"Then let's make a bet."

"A bet? On what?"

"On whether he's dead or alive."

"What would we wager?"

"Time. We will settle our match through a betting game, a gamble. And we'll use time, rather than chips. Look at the monitor on the wall. We each have fifty hours. However, we can only wager in multiples of ten. We continue placing bets until one of us has no hours left. We'll take turns deciding what to bet on. If you end with zero hours, your time limit will also be shortened by fifty hours."

"And if you end up with zero hours?"

"Our sentence will be extended by fifty years. If these terms are acceptable, I'll check whether he's still alive."

Leorio accepted the match.

"I bet ten hours that he's alive," Leorio started.

"Well then, let's check." Both of them stepped onto the middle pedestal. He was confirmed to only be unconscious, giving Leorio a head start.

Their next bet: determining if he was actually unconscious or if he was faking it. Twenty hours this time. To see if he was indeed unconscious, Leorio dragged him to the edge and threatened to toss him off. At the last minute, the prisoner changed her wager to forty hours that he wasn't unconscious. He lost the hours, but won the lead.

The third bet: to determine if the prisoner was female or male. She revealed herself and looked very clearly to be female. The condition was that if he was wrong, he could examine "every inch of my body until you're satisfied".

This caused him to bet 10 hours that she was a man. While he obviously lost, everyone except Gon now believed he was a pervert. Killua made a mental note not to let Sera anywhere near him again.

The following bet was who would win rock-paper-scissors. She bet eighty hours despite knowing she could only take ten, which stressed Leorio out. The first round was a tie. The second round, Leorio lost his cool through manipulation and therefore lost.

As a result of his loss, the score was 2-2. That meant, both Sera and Killua needed to win their respective rounds. First up was Killua. The other prisoners seemed frightened of this one in particular. A man called Johness the Dissector, a notorious serial killer was Killua's challenge. Upon hearing the disturbing things that this man had done, she whispered something into Killua's ear. He smirked, nodded, and walked toward him.

"What did you tell him, Sera?" Gon asked.

"Just wait and see." She had a smile on her face, confident in Killua. _Show him the same kindness he showed his victims_.

"How are we settling this contest?" Killua asked.

"Contest? I believe you're confused. This will be a one-sided massacre. I have no interest in the exam or any offer of amnesty. I just want to hear you scream."

"Really? Okay. Then the loser is the one who dies."

"Yeah, that's right. I'll tear your body apart." Before he could even finish his sentence, Killua swiftly walked passed him and stole his heart from his body. Killua smirked as the murderer tried to reclaim it, but died with arms out.

"I'm back," Killua said casually as Gon explained to the others his family situation.

"I guess that means it's my turn?"

"Be careful," Killua said with a serious expression. Sera simply smiled.

This was their last chance at passing this phase. With the loss of fifty hours from Leorio, they only had about 10 hours remaining to reach the end. She needed to make this quick.

Her competitor was not keen on dying, perhaps frightened by witnessing Killua's assassination. Instead, he said something completely unexpected. "If you can successfully confront your greatest fear and survive, you win."

"How do you know what my greatest fear though? I could say something random and be completely lying."

"I won't. But _they_ will," he laughed referring to the cameras. "Since the start of the exam, they have been keeping tabs on every one of you. They will most definitely know your greatest fear. And they will only give you a win, if you confront it and survive."

"I see. But what if I do not know my own fear? Can you give me a hint?" She glanced at the cameras watching her every move. Did the truly know her greatest fear, or was it something they could only guess at?

"A hint is only fair I suppose."

"The truth will be your greatest strength or your deadly end," A voice responded.

So they did know then. She sighed. She didn't want to do this now. Not in front of everyone like this. But, if it meant that at least the rest of them could move on to the next phase, then she would do it. For them. For Killua and Gon.

She faced her friends with a determined look on her face. Killua gave her a worried look. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to do something I should've done the moment I met you… Kurapika."

"Wait...what?"

"At first, my greatest fear was falling, I'll give you that, but the hint confirmed it. My greatest fear since meeting you guys was telling the truth… about my past. Unfortunately, since we are pressed for time, I can't explain it all. But you have to _trust me_. And I mean, don't kill me when I say this or else you will fail and be unable to continue. But after the test, you can ask me everything and I will provide all that I know." She stared at the blonde boy specifically. Killua felt a wave of jealousy and concern. Just what was she about to say and why was it her greatest fear?

"It's okay," Gon encouraged. "No matter what, we will still like you. Right guys?" Everyone nodded.

"You have to trust me, Kura. I never wanted to hurt you."

"What are you talking about?"

"My name is Sera…. Lucilfer. And my brother… is the leader of the Phantom Troupe… Kura, the reason behind the Kurta clan massacre… was because of me," she tilted her head in shame as the bell rang, indicating she had won. She fell to the ground and sobbed. "Kurapika, I am so sorry."

She didn't see his eyes turn red.

She didn't see him lunge at her.

She didn't see Killua get to her first and whisk her out of harm's away.

She didn't hear the shouting match between them. Among them. The debate on what to do. The threats Killua made if Kurapika decided to harm her.

Silence.

X X X

"Sera," Killua's voice woke her from her misery. She looked around. She was in an unfamiliar room and everyone was staring at her. The red eyes were gone, which surprised her.

"W-what happened?"

"They placed us in this room for the fifty hours we lost due to Leorio," Killua explained. "We managed to calm Kurapika down for now. It's okay. You're safe." He rubbed her back gently in circles.

"O-oh. That makes sense. How's Kurapika?" She was too nervous to ask him directly.

"Well, we had to knock him out for a bit until he regained his composure, but he should be fine. Confused and waiting for an explanation, most likely."

"I deserve him one."

"Then tell me," Kurapika finally said. His gray eyes stared into her almost white ones. "We have the time now. So please, tell me what you said wasn't true."

"Then I would be lying. But let me give you the whole story before you decide to kill me." Kurapika nodded, seemingly composed for hearing the worst news he could receive. The rest wanted the truth as well. She sighed. "I'll start from the beginning. Shortly after I was born, my mother died. You already know this. As a result, I was raised by my older brother, Chrollo. He was a good older brother to me. Always kind and sweet and treated me as if I was his whole world. And for a long time, we were all we had. Being born in Meteor City doesn't give you many options."

"Meteor City?" Gon asked, confused.

"It's a city that doesn't technically exist. It's full of garbage and those who are born there have no record of ever existing. It's a place where people are thrown away," Sera explained. "Anyway, for most of my life, Chrollo and I were bitter at the world because we honestly felt like the world had abandoned us. We were extremely poor and we only had each other against the cruelties of this world. I had many bad experiences living in Meteor City that I would rather not get into. Anyway, Chrollo eventually created the beginning of the Phantom Troupe, a band of criminals who treated the world the way they were treated: with no mercy. They wanted revenge and so did I. They were the ones who raised me and taught me how to fight."

She paused as if unsure how to continue. "Despite their crimes, they were the only ones who cared about me, you know? At the time, I wanted to be like them. I wanted to be them. I wanted to become a Spider, like my brother. He refused. But I still did all the same things: theft, torture, murder. All things I very much regret now. I thought that it was the only way at the time. Until a little over five years ago, I made the single greatest mistake of my life. I had heard about the Kurta clan through a simple rumor. It was nothing special, but someone mentioned that when their emotions ran high, their eyes sparkled red. I told my brother about the clan and very casually mentioned how it would be nice to see them one day."

She swallowed and her voice began to break. "It wasn't supposed to be anything more than wishful thinking. But Chrollo took my wish to heart. He soon became obsessed with finding the Kurta clan. And when he did, he took me with him. I had to watch as an entire people were killed. Children. Families. Innocents, all of them. Afterward, he stole their eyes and sold most of them on the black market. All except one. He gave me the final pair as a gift. I still have it, stored safely away. I wanted to return it at first, but then it served as a reminder to me. About how my selfish actions led to the slaughtering of an entire people. It serves as a message for me that you don't have to be cruel or cunning. That you can be kind. I changed completely after that and vowed to never be as merciless as I once was. Kurapika, I am so terribly sorry. I wanted to tell you as soon as I learned of your past, but I was so scared. You were one of my first friends I ever made and I didn't want you to hate me as much as I hated myself."

The group had remained attentive through her entire story. One she finished, they remain quiet trying comprehend what they had just learned.

It was Killua who spoke out first. He comfortingly held her close to his chest, letting her relax her head on his shoulder. "I don't care," he said. "You could have killed a million people and I still wouldn't care. You told me back on the airship that I was important to you. That we were friends. I couldn't believe it at first. That someone like me could even have friends. But you insisted that we were. You are important to me too. I'm not very good at this gushy stuff. But gods, you and Gon make me _happy_. And regardless of your past, that will never change. Because the person I know now is nothing like the person in your story. Your past does not define you. Your actions do. And all you have shown me since we met was kindness. That's the kind of person you are."

Gon spoke up. "Yeah, you are really nice, Sera. Aunt Mito once told me you can only judge a person by how they treat others. And from what I've seen, you could never be a bad person. I wouldn't call you my friend otherwise."

Leorio nodded in agreement with a smile. Tonpa shrugged and turned away, uncaring. They all looked at Kurapika, wondering and waiting for a response.

"When I lost control, you looked terrified. I was led to believe you were scared of me. But that wasn't the case, was it?"

Sera shook her head. "Of course not. I could never be afraid of what makes you so strong, Kurapika. No, I was scared at the thought that you would hate me for causing you so much suffering and grief. You're my friend and the thought of you hating me was something I was absolutely terrified of. It was my greatest fear."

"Do you know the whereabouts of the Phantom Troupe at this moment?"

"Yes," she answered truthfully.

"Do you know their names, strengths, and weaknesses of all of them?"

"I know what to expect from them if they were to fight."

"Tell me."

"I can't."

His eyes narrowed. "Will you not tell me because of your loyalty to them?"

"That's not why. Simply, if I did, you would get yourself killed. And I will not let that happen. If you want me to tell you, you'll have to beat me first."

"Beat you?"

"In a fight." She stood up and gestured him to do the same, which he did. "I was trained by Chrollo himself. I'm far from the best, but if you think that you are even close to ready to fight them, you have to defeat me first." Despite the small room, Sera got into a fighting pose.

"I'll give you a taste of what to expect. If you can land a single hit on me, I will tell you one weakness for one member. For every hit after, I will share another. Deal?" Kurapika nodded.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Killua asked.

"It should be fine. I won't hurt him." The group spread to the sides, giving them barely enough space to fight.

"You can use whatever method you want. I won't strike back for one whole minute. But after that, I will disarm you. Seem fair?"

"Fair enough," Kurapika prepared to strike.

"You may start whenever."

Kurapika didn't hesitate to strike. There was nothing but air and Sera was already at the other side of the room. He tried once more. Nothing. Each attack became more and more aggressive, fiercer. Angrier. But she evaded his attacks as if she was dancing. It was almost beautiful to watch according to Killua. _She's so fast and she doesn't even look like she's trying_.

60 seconds passed and Kurapika couldn't land a single hit. She smirked. "Sorry, Kurapika," she said. "But this game is over." She was suddenly behind him and lightly jabbed several spots on his back. His eyes widened in disbelief as he was unable to remain a grasp on his weapons and he fell to the ground. Not in any pain, but his body would not respond to his commands.

"I lose," Kurapika declared. Sera helped him back up, pinching one of his shoulders. He suddenly regained his mobility. "What did you do to me?" He asked curiously, no anger shown.

"I'm not strong," Sera admitted. "And if an enemy manages to land a hit, I would be screwed. So my brother taught me the art of manipulating chi, the energy flow within a person. By hitting specific parts of the body, one can block the flow of chi and therefore halt movement in an area of their body. It can also be used to stimulate flow and increase healing over time."

"So you take advantage of the situation by eliminating the threatening aspect of the opponent."

"Exactly. And that's just the beginning. You are still lacking one vital skill that would give you the ability to fight me properly," she explained. "Once you learn what it is, find me and I'll fight you with my very best."

"What is it?"

"I'm not qualified or allowed to tell you. But once you are ready, I'll help in whatever way I can. I love my brother. I used to believe that I could convince him to change. To give up on self-destruction. But I know now that's simply not possible. When the time comes, I will help you defeat the Phantom Troupe."

"I see. Sera?"

"Hm?"

"There was nothing to forgive. It's not your fault what happened to my clan. It wasn't you who killed them. I still consider you as a friend."

Sera stared. Her eyes watered and she burst into tears at the news that Kurapika still considered her a friend. " _Kura_!" She jumped into his arms and held him tightly. He smiled softly and Killua glared at the blonde.

X X X

Holy heck, that was a long chapter. With a lot of information. We learn about Sera's dark past and what inspired her to become the person she is today. The next chapter is pretty short, so I will post that today too.

I want to give a big thank you to oOShinahiOo for the lovely and kind review! I appreciate it so much!


	8. Patience X And X Resolve

This is a short additional chapter for today! Enjoy! Technically, it could be considered part of the other chapter, but it was already so long as it was.

X X X

CHAPTER VIII: PATIENCE X AND X RESOLVE

Once the tension had dissolved between Sera and Kurapika, the younger kids spent their time finding various forms of entertainment to waste the fifty hours locked in a small room. Inside was a small fridge stocked with various snacks, a bookcase filled with various titles, and a TV and game console. _At least the examiners were kind enough to provide us some ways of limiting our boredom_.

Sera watched as Gon tried to learn a few tricks on Killua's skateboard. Meanwhile, Leorio and Tonpa got into an argument about Leorio's loss. Gon tried to do a flip but the skateboard flew the other way and barely missed hitting Leorio in the face. Sera held no grudge at Leorio for losing fifty hours, but she had to admit it would have been funny see the skateboard smack into him.

In anger, Leorio banned the children from playing with the skateboard in the room.

X X X

It had been ten hours since being locked in the room and everyone except Killua was asleep. Sera was on his right, further away from the other boys. Killua was still irritated at Leorio's perverted nature and didn't trust Tonpa in the slightest so he insisted she sleep next to him so he could keep an eye on her.

He stared at this little girl next to him. They were both young and not fully grown, but he knew Sera would not be tall as an adult. He was secretly glad of it because her small stature was adorable to him. It had not even been a week, but Killua felt closer to her than felt to any other person. If he could, he wanted to always be by her side.

Killua began to casually play with her pink hair. It was usually tightly braided over her shoulder, but she had taken it out when she wanted to sleep. It was soft and a comforting source to him, but he had also unknowingly woken her up.

"Is there something in my hair?" She whispered to him.

"No," he replied. "Just wanted to see what it felt like when you let it down."

"Oh, okay. She glanced at the timer: 40:03. "Can't sleep?"

"That's not it. I can go two or three days without sleep." Sera yawned and snuggled closer to him, laying her head on his chest as a pillow.

"Ten hours have passed..." Sera mentioned.

"There aren't any windows so it's hard to tell, but it's probably morning."

"Probably… But I'm not ready to get up..." She yawned again.

Killua smirked. Sneakily, he began to tickle her. She woke right up as she tried not to laugh. "Stop, Killua," she moaned. In a line of defense, she struck a pillow at his face to get him to stop.

Killua stopped, but returned the pillow fight that she had initiated. He also threw one at Gon, who also joined in the fun. Their laughing caused the others to wake up as well.

"Hey, pipe down," Leorio complained. They simple laughed. "Let me sleep some more..." He caught a whiff of Tonpa's foot and jerked up. "That stinks!" The kids laughed even harder and Kurapika also snickered. "What's wrong with you guys? That wasn't funny. Damn, now I'm totally awake. And we still have forty hours left?"

"Blame Killua. He woke me up first," Sera laughed.

X X X

Time passed slowly for the group as they did various things to kill the time. At one point, Sera even tried braiding Killua's hair.

"It's so fluffy," Sera told him and she braided another piece of his hair. Instead of it being all over the place, his hair stood up in mini braids. Killua huffed. He let them stay for all of twenty minutes before he shook them out causing Sera to pout.

X X X

Somehow, the group had managed to survive fifty hours without killing each other. They were all tired of waiting and wanted to continue with the exam. When the door finally opened, they raced off trying to get to the finish as fast as possible. They struggled through various puzzles and traps of all kinds as it was a race against time.

Eventually they ended up at another door by majority vote… on whether or not to actually open the door. Gon accidentally pressed the wrong button, but Leorio blamed Tonpa which resulted in an argument and wasted more time they didn't have.

Behind that door was apparently the final door for majority decision. "This will be the last decision by majority rule. Are you ready? Choose O or X."

"Please select a path. There are two choices. One path allows six to pass, but is long and difficult. The other path allows only four but is short and easy. Incidentally, the long and difficult path requires a minimum of forty-five hours. The short and easy path leads to the goal in approximately three minutes. Press O for the long and difficult path, and X for the short and easy path. If X is selected, two people must be secured to the wall with handcuffs before the door will open. The two chained members will be unable to move until the time limit expires."

On the walls hung various types of weapons. The examiners knew what to expect with this decision.

Leorio stated his intent for X, while Gon explained he was going to press O. Sera was tempted to press X as well. "I want to press X. But I don't mind staying behind. Therefore, my intent is that Killua, Gon, Kurapika and Leorio will proceed and me and Tonpa will stay behind. After all, Tonpa has no intention of becoming a Hunter anyway."

"What?" Killua asked, wondering if he heard right. She was willing to give up her chances for him. He was determined not to let that happen. It would definitely be him, Gon, and her that will pass. Leorio and Tonpa instantly grabbed weapons and fought among themselves. Gon tried to diffuse the situation, but it seemed pointless.

Killua prepared to fight as well, summoning his claw-like nails. But Gon had an idea.

With one minute to spare, Gon, Killua, Sera, Kurapika, Leorio, and even Tonpa made it to the end.

"All thanks to Gon," Leorio admitted. They had originally chosen the difficult path, but broke the wall between that and the easy path so they could use that instead. Sera gave Gon the largest hug she could muster, despite her hands being covered in scratches and blisters.

"The Third Phase is over. Twenty-six applicants have passed. One has died." Another door opened, leading them to outside for the first time in three days. What they didn't know, was that the next Phase would be even more challenging than the last.


End file.
